What do I need to know about coloured ions?????

Hey, im currently revising A2 inorganic, specifically transition metals and wanted to know. How much do i need to remember about the colours? Im using the CGP revision guide and there is so much, do i need to know the colour changes in a substitution reactions, or just the colours of the single ions, or the colour changes when vanadium ions are reduced or even their reactions with OH-, NH3 and Na2CO3?? Thanks, hope this makes sense :smile:

Reply 1

BTAnonymous

If you're doing AQA, I'm not too sure because it's not on the new spec but there have been previous questions on colours on the old spec.

I'd revise some of the more common ion colours just to be sure though.

Fe(II) is easy because it's always a green ppt
Fe(III) is always your typical brown ppt.
Cu(II) is generally blue but is a very deep blue with ammonia ligands.
Al(III) is always white but colourless with OH- in excess.

You only need to know about these 4 ions in the spec so I assume you only need to know about their colours? If you write these up on flashcards, it'll be ez to remember.

Edit: for AQA, you also need to know Vanadium colours.