michael971 - 16-11-2012 at 12:31
The can has no label. How can I tell if it is tin oxide or cerium oxide?
bfesser - 16-11-2012 at 14:46
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerium(IV)_oxide" target="_blank">CeO<sub>2</sub></a> <img src="../scipics/_wiki.png"
/> powder is pale yellow.
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerium(III)_oxide" target="_blank">Ce<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub></a> <img
src="../scipics/_wiki.png" /> powder is gold-yellow.
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tin_dioxide" target="_blank">SnO<sub>2</sub></a> <img src="../scipics/_wiki.png"
/> powder is white.
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tin(II)_oxide" target="_blank">SnO</a> <img src="../scipics/_wiki.png" /> powder is red or
light-tan, may burn in air, or will change to blue-black when heated.
Beyond appearance, try Googling "qualitative tin" or "qualitative cerium".
[Edited on 7/9/13 by bfesser]