EXERCISES
1. Account for the fact that copper has been used for so long a time.
2. Write equations for the action of concentrated sulphuric and nitric acids upon the metals of this family.
3. How would you account for the fact that normal copper sulphate is slightly acid to litmus?
4. Contrast the action of heat on cupric nitrate and mercuric nitrate.
5. State reasons why mercury is adapted for use in thermometers and barometers.
6. How could you distinguish between mercurous chloride and mercuric chloride?
7. Write equations for the preparation of mercuric and mercurous iodides.
8. How would you account for the fact that solutions of the different salts of a metal usually have the same color?
9. Crude silver usually contains iron and lead. What would become of these metals in refining by parting with sulphuric acid?
10. In the amalgamation process for extracting silver, how does ferrous chloride convert silver chloride into silver? Write equation. Why is the silver sulphide first changed into silver chloride?
11. What impurities would you expect to find in the copper sulphate prepared from the refining of silver?
12. How could you prepare pure silver chloride from a silver coin?
13. Mercuric nitrate and silver nitrate are both white solids soluble in water. How could you distinguish between them?
14. Account for the fact that sulphur waters turn a silver coin black; also for the fact that a silver spoon is blackened by foods (eggs, for example) containing sulphur.
15. When a solution of silver nitrate is added to a solution of potassium chlorate no precipitate forms. How do you account for the fact that a precipitate of silver chloride is not formed?