Tests For Stuff

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One fine day a scientist

Decided to explore

How to tell each thing apart

And so flame tests were born

Calcium (that's Ca 2 plus)

Turns brick red in a fire.

Sodium was tested next;

A yellow flame rose higher.

Lithium was pink as rose,

Potassium, K, was purple.

"That's all I need! Let's move one!"

The scientist gladly burpled.

Halides (Cl, Br, I)

Were the next things on his list.

Dissolve in water, add HNO3,

Silver nitrate - you get the gist.

Precipitates form, and lo! Behold -

Chloride's as white as snow.

Bromide: cream, and I is yellow.

There's still more tests to go.

SO4, that's sulphates, next:

Add water and HCl.

Barium Chloride, drop by drop.

"White precipitate!" he yelled.

Metal ions were then tried.

Dissolve in water quick.

Add NaOH - be careful though;

The results are rather sick.

Iron II Sulphate's bogey green,

Iron III Chloride's brown, it's true.

After these results, wasn't he surprised!

Copper Sulphate's a lovely blue.

The scientist decided to

Move on to gases now.

Hydrogen makes a squeaky pop;

O2 relights - wow!

CO2 turns lime water cloudy;

Ammonia's alkaline;

Chloride bleaches litmus paper

and that is all just fine!

Finally, for water, take

Blue Cobalt Chloride paper.

H2O will turn it pink;

Our scientist's no faker.

Tests for Stuff

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