Inorganic chemical tests

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Joe Ogborn takes a tour of teaching inorganic chemical tests

In a chemistry lab, you find a bottle labelled magnesium oxide. You assume the powder inside matches the label, but how could you be sure? It’s time to get your hands dirty with some chemical tests.

In this article, we will look at using chemical tests to develop problem-solving skills; the place of chemical tests within chemistry; and using chemical tests as a stimulus to develop student understanding.

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