LITTLE FLOWER JUNIOR COLLEGE, UPPAL
Systematic procedure for salt analysis
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
1. Color The salt is colorless Cu2+, Ni2+, Fe2+, Mn2+ may be absent
The salt is blue in color May be Cu2+
The salt is light green in color May be Fe2+ salt
The salt is pink in color May be Mn2+ salt
The salt is bluish- green in color May be Ni2+ salt
2. Physical state Crystalline/ amorphous
The flame color is brick red May be Ca2+
The flame color is crimson red May be Sr2+
3. Flame test: A little amount of salt is
The flame color is apple green May be Ba2+
taken on a watch galss, made into a paste
The flame color is bluish green May be Cu2+
by adding a drop of conc. HCl. A little paste
The flame color is flashes of green May be Zn2+ or Mn2+
is taken with the help of a glass rod and
The flame color is livid blue May be Pb2+
introduced into non- luminous flame.
Ca2+, Sr2+, Ba2+, Cu2+, Zn2+, Mn2+, Pb2+
No characteristic flame color observed
may be absent
Colourless gas with ammonia smell is evolved which gives May be ammonium salt
dense white fumes with glass rod dipped in conc HCl.
4. Action of heat: A small quantity of salt White sublimate is formed. May be ammonium halide salt
is taken in a dry test tube and strongly Water drops are formed on the inner walls of the test tube. May be hydrated salt
heated. Reddish brown vapors are evolved. May be nitrate salt
Cracking sound is observed. May be lead salt or zinc or barium nitrate
Characteristic smell of vinegar. May be acetate salt
Blue salt becomes colorless while heating. May be copper salt
Identification tests for anions
Colorless gas (CO2) is evolved with brisk effervescence
Carbonate (CO32-) ion is present
1. Action of dil. HCl: A small quantity of which turns lime water milky.
salt+ dil. HCl. Colorless vapors with smell of vinegar is evolved. Acetate (CH3COO-) ion is present
No characteristic reaction. Carbonate & acetate ions are absent
2. Action of conc. H2SO4: Before heating:
Colorless gas (HCl) with pungent smell is evolved and gives Chloride (Cl-) ion is present
a) Salt is taken in a dry test tube and 2-3
drops of conc. H2SO4 is added. dense white fumes (NH4Cl) with glass rod dipped in NH4OH.
Reddish brown vapors with pungent smell are evolved. Bromide (Br-) ion is present
No characteristic reaction. Chloride & bromide ions are absent
After heating:
b) The above mixture is added. Reddish brown vapors of NO2 are evolved. Nitrate (NO3-) ion is present
No characteristic reaction. Nitrate (NO3-) ion is absent
3. Action of MnO2 & conc. H2SO4: Salt + Greenish yellow gas is evolved. Chloride (Cl-) ion is present
MnO2 + conc. H2SO4 Reddish brown gas is evolved. Bromide (Br-) ion is present
No characteristic reaction. Chloride & bromide ions are absent
4. Action of Cu turnings & conc. H2SO4: Reddish brown vapors of NO2 are evolved. Nitrate (NO3-) ion is present
Salt + a piece of Cu turnings + conc.
H2SO4. Heated strongly. No characteristic reaction. Nitrate (NO3-) ion is absent
5. Action of BaCl2 solution: Salt solution
White ppt is formed which is insoluble in conc. HCl. Sulphate (SO42-) ion is present
+ BaCl2 solution.
Confirmation tests for anions
Confirmation test for carbonate:
Action of BaCl2 solution: Salt solution +
White ppt is formed which is soluble in dil. HCl. Carbonate (CO32-) ion is confirmed
BaCl2 solution.
Confirmation test for acetate:
1. Esterification test: Salt solution + conc.
Fruity odour is obtained. Acetate (CH3COO-) ion is confirmed
H2SO4+ C2H5OH, heated.
2. Neutral ferric chloride test: Salt + 2-3 Reddish brown ppt is formed. Deep red color solution is
Acetate (CH3COO-) ion is confirmed
drops of neutral FeCl3 soln. formed on boiling the above ppt with water.
Confirmation test for chloride:
Curdy white ppt is formed which is completely soluble in
Salt soln + AgNO3 soln.
NH4OH Chloride (Cl-) ion is confirmed
Confirmation test for bromide:
Salt soln + AgNO3 soln. Pale yellow ppt is formed which is partially soluble in NH4OH Bromide (Br-) ion is confirmed
Confirmation test for nitrate:
Brown- ring test: Small amount of salt in a
test tube + same amount of freshly Dark ring is formed in between the junction of two layers
prepared FeSO4 soln. Then a few drops of (Nitroso ferrous sulphate) [Fe (H2O)5 NO]2+ Nitrate (NO3-) ion is confirmed
conc. H2SO4 is added by keeping the test
tube in an inclined position.
Confirmation test for sulphate:
Salt soln + BaCl2 soln. White ppt is formed which is insoluble in conc. HCl. Sulphate (SO42-) ion is confirmed
Identification tests for cations
Colorless gas with pungent smell (NH3) is evolved and gives
1. Test for ammonium ion: Salt + a few dense white fumes (NH4Cl) with glass rod dipped in conc. Ammonium (NH4+) ion is present
drops of NaOH soln, strongly heated. HCl.
No characteristic reaction. Ammonium (NH4+) ion is absent
2. Test for group I cations: Salt soln+ 2-3 White ppt is formed. Lead (Pb2+) ion is present
drops of dil. HCl soln. No characteristic reaction. Lead (Pb2+) ion is absent
Black ppt is formed. Copper (Cu2+) ion is present
3. Test for group II cations: Salt soln+ 2-3
drops of dil. HCl soln & H2S gas is passed. No characteristic reaction. Copper (Cu2+) ion is absent
4. Test for group III cations: Salt soln is White gelatinous ppt is formed. Aluminium (Al3+) ion is present
saturated with solid NH4Cl. Then add Dirty green ppt is formed. Ferrous (Fe2+) ion is present
NH4OH soln. No characteristic reaction. Aluminium & ferrous ions are absent
White ppt is formed. Zinc (Zn2+) ion is present
5. Test for group IV cations: Salt soln is
Flesh color ppt is formed. Manganese (Mn2+) ion is present
saturated with solid NH4Cl. Add NH4OH
Black ppt is formed. Nickel (Ni2+) ion is present
soln, pass H2S gas.
No characteristic reaction. Zinc, manganese, nickel ions are absent
6. Test for group V cations: Salt soln is White ppt is formed.
Barium, Calcium, Strontium ions are absent
saturated with solid NH4Cl. Add NH4OH
and (NH4)2CO3 solns. No characteristic reaction. Barium (Ba2+), Calcium (Ca2+) or Strontium
(Sr2+) ions are present
7. Test for group VI cations: Salt soln is
saturated with solid NH4Cl. Add NH4OH White ppt is formed. Magnesium (Mg2+) ion is present
and Na2HPO4 solns.
Confirmation tests for cations
Confirmation test for ammonium cation:
Nessler's reagent test: Salt soln +
Reddish brown ppt. Ammonium (NH4+) ion is confirmed
Nessler's reagent.
Confirmation test for lead cation:
Salt soln + KI soln. Yellow ppt. Lead (Pb2+) ion is confirmed
Confirmation test for copper cation:
Salt soln + NaOH soln. Blue color ppt. Copper (Cu2+) ion is confirmed
Confirmation test for aluminium cation:
Salt soln + NaOH soln. White gelatinous ppt is formed which is soluble in excess Aluminium (Al3+) ion is confirmed
NaOH soln.
Confirmation test for ferrous cation:
Salt soln + NH4OH soln. Dirty green ppt. Ferrous (Fe2+) ion is confirmed
Confirmation test for zinc cation:
Salt soln + NaOH soln. White ppt is formed which is soluble in NaOH soln. Zinc (Zn2+) ion is confirmed
Confirmation test for manganese cation:
Salt soln + NaOH soln. Brown ppt. Manganese (Mn2+) ion is confirmed
Confirmation test for nickel cation:
Salt soln + NH4OH soln + dimethyl
Bright red ppt. Nickel (Ni2+) ion is confirmed
glyoxime soln.
Confirmation test for
barium/calcium/strontium cation:
Pale yellow ppt. Barium (Ba2+) ion is confirmed
1. Salt soln + K2CrO4 (potassium chromate)
soln. No yellow ppt. Calcium (Ca2+) ion is confirmed
Mango yellow ppt. Strontium (Sr2+) ion is confirmed
White ppt soluble in hot acetic acid. Barium (Ba2+) ion is confirmed
2. Salt soln + ammonium oxalate soln.
White ppt insoluble in hot acetic acid. Calcium (Ca2+) ion is confirmed
3. Salt soln + ammonium sulphate soln. White ppt. Strontium (Sr2+) ion is confirmed
Confirmation test for magnesium cation:
Salt soln + NaOH soln. White ppt insoluble in excess NaOH. Magnesium (Mg2+) ion is confirmed
Report: The given cation is _____________ (________________)
The given anion is _____________ (________________)
The given salt is _____________ (________________)
