Basic Viva Questions with Answers

Volumetric Analysis (Quantitative Analysis):

1. Write the ionic equation for FAS:
Reduction half reaction – MnO4– + 8H+ + 5e– → Mn2+ + 4H2O
Oxidation half reaction – [Fe2+ → Fe3+ – e–] x 5
Overall ionic equation – MnO4– + 8H+ + 5Fe2+ → Mn2+ + 5Fe3+ + 4H2O

2. Write the ionic equation for Oxalic Acid:

Reduction Half reaction: - MnO4– + 8H+ + 5e– → Mn2+ + 4H2O
Oxidation Half reaction - C2O42- → 2CO2 + 2e–
Overall Ionic reaction - 2MnO4– + 16H+ + 5C2O42- → 2Mn2+ + 10CO2 + 8H2O

3. What is a Normality?
Answer. The normality of a solution is the gram equivalent weight of a
solute per litre of solution. It may also be called the equivalent
concentration. It is indicated using the symbol N
4. What is the principle of volumetric analysis?
Answer. In volumetric analysis, the concentration of a solution is
determined by allowing a known volume of the solution to react,
quantitatively with another solution of known concentration.
5. What is titration?
Answer. The process of adding one solution from the burette to another
in the conical flask in order to complete the chemical reaction
involved, is known as titration.
6. What is indicator?
Answer. Indicator is a chemical substance which changes colour at the
end point.
7. What is End point?
Answer. The stage during titration at which the reaction is just
complete is known as the end point of titration.
8. Burette and pipette must be rinsed with the solution with which
they are filled, why?
Answer. The burette and pipette are rinsed with the solution with
which they are filled in order to remove any water sticking to their
sides, which otherwise would decrease the cone, of the solutions to be
taken in them.

1|MK Sir Notes

9. Why a titration flask (Conical Flask) should not be rinsed?
Answer. This is because during rinsing-some liquid will remain
sticking to the titration flask therefore the pipetted volume taken in
the titration flask will increase.
10. Which is an oxidising agent and a reducing agent in the reaction
between KMnO4 and FeSO4?
Answer. KMnO4 acts as oxidising agent and FeSO4 acts as reducing agent.
11. What is the indicator used in KMnO4 titration?
Answer. No indicator is used because KMnO4 acts as a self-indicator.
12. Why does KMnO4 act itself as an indicator?
Answer. In the presence of dilute sulphuric acid, KMnO4 reacts with
reducing agent (oxalic acid or ferrous sulphate). When all the
reducing agent has been oxidised, the excess of KMnO4 is not decomposed
and imparts pink colour to the solution.
13. What is the end point in KMnO4 titrations?
Answer. From colourless to permanent light pink.
14. Why are a few drops of dilute sulphuric acid added while preparing
a standard solution of Mohr’s salt?
Answer. Few drops of H2SO4 are added to prevent the hydrolysis of
ferrous sulphate.
15. Sometimes a brown ppt. is observed in KMnO4 titrations. Why?
Answer. It is due to insufficient quantity of dil. sulphuric acid.
Brown coloured ppt. (MnO2.H20) is formed due to the incomplete
oxidation of KMnO4.
2KMnO4 + H2O 2KOH + 2MnO2 + 3[O]
16. Why should you heat the oxalic acid solution to about 60-70°C
before titrating with KMnO4 solution?
Answer. In cold, the reaction is very slow due to the slow formation
of Mn2+ ions. Oxalic acid is heated to speed up the liberation of
Mn2+ ions which then autocatalysis the reaction and thus the reaction
proceeds rapidly. This also serves the purpose of expelling the carbon
dioxide evolved during the reaction which otherwise does not allow the
reaction to go to completion.
15. What is Redox Reaction?
Answer. An oxidation-reduction (redox) reaction is a type of
chemical reaction that involves a transfer of electrons between two
species.
16. Why is dil.sulfuric acid suitable for permanganate titration?
Answer. KMnO4 acts as a good oxidising agent in acidic medium. If acid
is not used KMnO4 may be oxidised to MnO2 giving a brown precipitate.
17. What is the formula for Mohr’s salt?
Answer. The formula for Mohr’s salt is (NH4)2SO4.FeSO4.6H2O.
18. What are the different types of titrations?
Answer. The different types of titrations are: Iodometric titration,
Permanganate titration, Complexmetric titration, Precipitation
titration, Acid-base titration and Redox titration.

2|MK Sir Notes

Salt Analysis (Qualitative Analysis):
1. Study all the Confirmatory reactions
2. Experiments with reactions
3. What is qualitative analysis?
Ans. The type of analysis that deals with the methods which are used
to determine the constituents of a compound.
4. What is a radical?
Ans. A radical may be defined as an atom or group of atoms which
carries charge and behaves as a single unit in chemical reactions.
5. What are acidic and basic radicals?
Ans. Radicals carrying positive charge are called basic radicals and
those carrying negative charge are called acidic radicals.
6. What type of bond is present in an inorganic salt?
Ans. Electrovalent bond/ Ionic Bond
7. Write the chemistry of flame test.
Ans. In flame test, the valence electron of the atom gets excited and
jumps to the higher level. When the electron jumps back to the ground
state, the radiation is emitted whose frequency falls in the visible
region.
8. Why can’t we use glass rod instead of platinum wire for performing
flame test?
Ans. This is because glass contains sodium silicate which imparts its
own golden yellow colour to the flame.
9. What is Nessler’s Reagent?
Ans. Nessler’s reagent is K2[HgI4], Potassium tetraiodomercurate (II).
It is used for detecting ammonia and ammonium ions.
10. What is Tollen’s reagent?
Ans. Ammonical Sliver Nitrate solution is called Tollen’s reagent.
11. Name a cation which is not obtained from a metal.
Ans. Ammonium ion (NH4+)

3|MK Sir Notes

Food Stuff Analysis:

S: Reagent Name Compounds

No.

1. Molisch’s Reagent 1% alcoholic solution of 1- naphthol

2. Fehling’s Solution A CuSO4, H2O & H2SO4

3. Fehling’s Solution B Sodium Potassium Tartarate, NaOH and H2O

4. Benedict’s Reagent Sodium Citrate, Na2CO3, H2O and CuSO4

5. Tollen’s Reagent NaOH, AgNO3 and NH4OH

1. What are carbohydrates?
Answer. Carbohydrates are polyhydroxy aldehydes or polydroxy ketones
or the compounds which yield these on hydrolysis.
2. Give two examples of monosaccharides.
Answer. Glucose and fructose.
3. Give two examples of disaccharides.
Answer. Sucrose and maltose.
4. What is Tollen’s reagent?
Answer. A solution prepared by adding NaOH solution to AgNO3 solution
and then adding NH4OH to dissolve the ppt.
5. What are the functions of carbohydrates?
Answer. 1. To supply energy to the body as bio fuel and to act as
storage of chemical energy in the form of glycogen in liver.
2. As constituent of cell membranes.
6. Why do we get a red ppt. in Fehling’s test?
Answer. Because of the formation of cuprous oxide (Cu20).
7. Why do we get a shining mirror in Tollen’s test?
Answer. Due to the formation of silver which deposits on the walls of
test-tube.
8. What is Molisch’s reagent?
Answer. Alcoholic solution of a-naphthol.
9. What is purple ring formed due to in Molisch’s test?
Answer. Cone. H2SO4 converts carbohydrates into furfural (a colourless
liquid used in synthetic resin manufacture) or its derivative which
then reacts with a- naphthol to form a violet-coloured compound.
10. Name some reducing and non-reducing sugars.
Answer. Glucose and fructose are examples of reducing sugar and
sucrose is an example of non-reducing sugar.

4|MK Sir Notes

11. How will you distinguish between sucrose and glucose?
Answer. Glucose, being a reducing sugar, will give silver mirror test
positive (Sucrose is a non-reducing sugar).
12. What is the role of tartarate ions in Fehling’s reagent?
Answer. It acts as complexing agent and prevents the precipitation of
copper (II) hydroxide.
13. What is the role of citrate ions in Benedict’s solution?
Answer. It acts as complexing agent and prevents the precipitation of
copper (II) hydroxide.
14. What are Fehling A and Fehling B solutions?
Answer. Fehling solution A is copper sulphate solution and Fehling
solution B is mixture of solutions of sodium potassium tartrate and
sodium hydroxide.
15. Do all the sugars give Fehling solution test?
Answer. No, only reducing sugars like glucose and fructose give this
test.
16. What are proteins?
Answer. Proteins are naturally occurring complex nitrogenous organic
substances with high molecular masses. Chemically, they are
polypeptides formed by the condensation of alpha-amino acids.
17. What is the colour obtained in Ninhydrin test for proteins?
Answer. Blue.
18. How are proteins affected by heat?
Answer. They undergo coagulation.
19. How are proteins affected by conc.HNO3?
Answer. Turn yellow.
20. What is the name given to the reaction between protein and
conc.HNO3?
Answer. Xanthoprotein reaction.
21. What are the final products of hydrolysis of proteins?
Answer. a-Amino acids.

5|MK Sir Notes