How can you test for aldehydes and ketones?

Aldehydes can be differentiated from ketones as they give a positive result for the following tests -Tollens' reagent turns from a colourless solution to a silver precipitate.Fehling's solution turns from a blue solution to a red/orange precipitate.If the compound present is a ketone, there will be no further reaction. The reason these tests give the above results for aldehydes is because the reagents are weak oxidising agents, so the aldehydes are oxidised to carboxylic acids and the reagents are reduced, resulting in the observable changes. Ketones cannot be further oxidised, so this is why there is no reaction.

GN
Answered by Gabriella N. Chemistry tutor

3936 Views

See similar Chemistry A Level tutors

Related Chemistry A Level answers

All answers ▸

Explain why Magnesium has a greater second ionisation energy than strontium


What is the relationship between K and ΔS total?


Describe and explain the trend in reactivity of Group 2 elements with chlorine as the group is descended?


What is the evidence that disproves the Kekule model for benzene?


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

MyTutor is part of the IXL family of brands:

© 2026 by IXL Learning