Chemical ChangesMemory Aid

Memory Aids

Part of Making SaltsGCSE Chemistry

This memory aid covers Memory Aids within Making Salts for GCSE Chemistry. Revise Making Salts in Chemical Changes for GCSE Chemistry with 20 exam-style questions and 20 flashcards. This is a high-frequency topic, so it is worth revising until the explanation feels precise and repeatable. It is section 10 of 13 in this topic. Use it for quick recall, then test yourself straight afterwards so the memory aid becomes usable in an answer.

Topic position

Section 10 of 13

Practice

20 questions

Recall

20 flashcards

🧠 Memory Aids

Soluble salt method — "FECD": Filter, Evaporate, Cool, Dry — the four steps after the acid-base reaction is complete.

Why add excess base: "BASE beats ACID" — always use excess of the insoluble base so all acid is consumed. "Excess base in, excess base removed by filter." Excess acid in = problem (acid stays in product).

Insoluble salts: "Silver CHLORIDE is WHITE, Lead IODIDE is YELLOW, Barium SULFATE is WHITE." These are the three insoluble salts most commonly tested.

Solubility rules shortcut: "ALL nitrates dissolve. ALL sodium/potassium/ammonium salts dissolve. Most chlorides and sulfates dissolve, EXCEPT the named exceptions." Learn the exceptions: silver chloride, barium sulfate, lead chloride, lead sulfate, lead iodide.

Keep building this topic

Read this section alongside the surrounding pages in Making Salts. That gives you the full topic sequence instead of a single isolated revision point.

Practice Questions for Making Salts

Which of the following is the correct method for making copper sulfate crystals from copper oxide and sulfuric acid?

  • A. Add excess copper oxide to acid, filter off unreacted solid, then evaporate to crystallise
  • B. Add excess acid to copper oxide, then boil to dryness
  • C. Use titration with an indicator to find the exact volumes, then repeat
  • D. Mix equal volumes of copper sulfate solution and sulfuric acid
1 markfoundation

Describe the steps involved in the required practical for preparing a pure, dry sample of copper sulfate crystals from copper oxide and dilute sulfuric acid.

4 marksstandard

Quick Recall Flashcards

What colour is copper sulfate?
Blue (as crystals and in solution)
What is crystallisation?
The process of forming solid crystals from a saturated solution

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