Question

100 POINTSSSSS

As you walk into the laboratory, you find a white solid crystal substance labeled as "unknown solid #6." In one paragraph, using your own words, describe tests that could be completed on the substance to determine whether or not it is a salt compound.

Answer 1

If a compound is made of a cation and an anion it is a salt by definition in chemistry.

The simplest salts are compounds of one kind of metal cation with one kind of non-metal anion. If you look at a periodic chart, there's a dark, stair-step line over on the right. The atoms to the left of it are metals and those to the right are non-metals and some of those on the steps (not aluminum) are semi-metals or metalloids.

Then, you were given, or can look up online, a list of polyatomic ions. Memorize these.

Compounds with a metal cation and a polyatomic anion are also salts. Compounds with a polyatomic cation and any anion, are also salts.