Some skin ointments contain a white solid
CHEMISTRY · Subjective · A Level · Chemistry · Chromatography · Chromatography
Problem
Some skin ointments contain a white solid, camphor. Before incorporation into the ointment, a natural sample of camphor was found to be contaminated with table salt (sodium chloride) and rust (hydrated iron(III) oxide). The effect of three liquids on these substances is shown in the table below.| Substance | Water | Ethanol | Dilute hydrochloric acid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Table salt | Dissolves to produce a colourless solution | No effect | Dissolves to produce a colourless solution |
| Camphor | No effect | Dissolves to produce a colourless solution | No effect |
| Rust | No effect | No effect | Reacts to give a brown solution |