Sodium hydroxide solution can be used to identify some metal ions - some  metal hydroxides are insoluble so form precipitates when sodium hydroxide solution is added

  • copper(II) a blue precipitate
  •  iron(II) a green precipitate
  • iron(III) a brown precipitate
  • aluminium, calcium and magnesium white precipitates
  • only aluminium hydroxide precipitate dissolves in excess sodium hydroxide solution

Copper(II)

Iron(II)

Iron(III)

Magnesium, calcium & aluminium

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