Which ion is present if you add acid and observe gas that turns limewater milky?

Study for the IGCSE Edexcel Chemistry Test. Access flashcards and multiple choice questions with hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam!

Multiple Choice

Which ion is present if you add acid and observe gas that turns limewater milky?

Explanation:
When an acid meets a carbonate, carbon dioxide gas is produced. The limewater test is famous for turning milky when CO2 is bubbled through it, because CO2 reacts with calcium hydroxide to form calcium carbonate, a white, insoluble precipitate that clouds the solution. So seeing gas that makes limewater go milky signals carbonate ions are present. The other ions don’t give CO2 in this test (sulfite would release sulfur dioxide, which doesn’t cloud limewater in the same way; nitrate and chloride don’t produce the CO2-driven milky change here).

When an acid meets a carbonate, carbon dioxide gas is produced. The limewater test is famous for turning milky when CO2 is bubbled through it, because CO2 reacts with calcium hydroxide to form calcium carbonate, a white, insoluble precipitate that clouds the solution. So seeing gas that makes limewater go milky signals carbonate ions are present. The other ions don’t give CO2 in this test (sulfite would release sulfur dioxide, which doesn’t cloud limewater in the same way; nitrate and chloride don’t produce the CO2-driven milky change here).

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