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NEET Chemistry Practical Chemistry 2026 NEET 2026 (Cancelled)

NEET Chemistry Question (2026) — Solution

Question

In a test tube containing a salt, a few drops of dilute H _2 SO _4 was added, which gave colourless vapours having the smell of vinegar. The vapours turned the blue litmus paper red. Identify the correct anion from the following :

Options

  1. A. Sulphide, S ^ 2-
  2. B. Sulphate, SO _4^ 2-
  3. C. Acetate, CH _3 COO ^ -
  4. D. Carbonate, CO _3^ 2-

Answer

C. Acetate, CH _3 COO ^ -

Step-by-step solution

When a salt containing the acetate anion ( CH _3 COO ^ - ) is treated with dilute H _2 SO _4, acetic acid ( CH _3 COOH ) is formed. 2 CH _3 COO ^ - + H _2 SO _4 2 CH _3 COOH + SO _4^ 2- Acetic acid vapours are colourless and have a characteristic smell of vinegar. Being acidic in nature, these vapours turn blue litmus paper red. Sulphide ( S ^ 2- ) gives H _2 S gas which has a rotten egg smell. Sulphate ( SO _4^ 2- ) does not react with dilute H _2 SO _4. Carbonate ( CO _3^ 2- ) gives CO _2 gas which is odourless. Answer: Acetate, CH _3 COO ^ -

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