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Any sodium salt produces a yellow flame when put into the flame of a Bunsen burner.

This material produces a yellow flame when put into the flame of a Bunsen burner.

Therefore, this material is a sodium salt.



1. The argument is valid and sound.


2. The argument is valid but unsound.


3. The argument is invalid but sound.


4. The argument is invalid and unsound.

User Cing
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

The argument is valid in its logical structure but is unsound because a yellow flame does not exclusively indicate a sodium salt due to potential presence of sodium in other compounds.

Step-by-step explanation:

The argument 'Any sodium salt produces a yellow flame when put into the flame of a Bunsen burner. This material produces a yellow flame when put into the flame of a Bunsen burner. Therefore, this material is a sodium salt.' follows a logical structure but is based on a flawed premise. While it is true that sodium and its compounds impart a bright yellow color to a flame, which is a result of the characteristic emission spectrum of sodium, the presence of a yellow flame does not exclusively indicate the presence of a sodium salt. Other substances could also produce a similar flame color due to the presence of sodium or contaminants. Therefore, the argument is valid but unsound. A more conclusive test would involve other methods like spectroscopy to definitively identify the material as a sodium salt.

User Wagng
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