SCHEME OF SALT ANALYSIS

Sl EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE

No.
1 Colour a. Coloured Presence of Cu2+,
The colour of the salt Co2+, Ni2+, Mn2+ and
is noted. Fe3+ ions

b. Colourless Presence of Pb2+,

Al3+, Zn2+, Ba2+,
Ca2+, Mg2+, NH4+
ions
2 Solubility
i.A little of the salt is a. Soluble and no Presence of
treated with water precipitate with ammonium ion
Na2CO3 solution (NH4+)

b. Soluble and a Absence of NH4+

precipitate with
Na2CO3 solution

ii. If insoluble in a. Soluble Absence of Pb2+

water, then the salt is
treated with dil HCl. b. Insoluble Presence of Pb2+

TEST FOR ANIONS:-

A. Identification tests
1 Test with dilute HCl a. Brisk effervescence Presence of
A little of the salt is and evolution of carbonate (CO32-)
treated with dilute HCl colourless, [The gas evolved is
odourless gas which CO2. The milky
turns lime water appearance is due
milky to the formation of
insoluble CaCO3]

b. No characteristic Absence of
reaction carbonate (CO32-)

1
2 Test with dilute H2SO4 a. Smell of vinegar Presence of acetate
A little of the salt is (CH3CHOO-)
rubbed dilute H2SO4 The smell is due to
acid between the the formation of
fingers in watch glass acetic acid

b. No smell of vinegar Absence of acetate

(CH3CHOO-)
3 Test with conc. H2SO4 a. A colourless fuming Presence of Cl- (HCl
A little of the salt is gas with pungent is formed which
warmed with conc. smell, giving dense reacts with NH4OH,
Sulphuric acid in a dry white fumes when a giving white fumes
test tube glass rod dipped in of NH4Cl)
NH4OH is shown to
the mouth of the
test tube.
b. Colourless fuming Presence of Br-
gas followed by (Bromide gets
reddish brown decomposed first to
vapours and colourless HBr. It
solution is turned is then oxidized to
red. reddish brown Br2
by H2SO4)

c. Colourless fuming Presence of I-

gas followed by (Iodide gets
violet vapours on decomposed first to
heating and black colourless HI. It is
residue on the then oxidized to
cooler parts of the violet vapours of I2
test tube. by H2SO4)

d. No characteristic Absence of Cl-, Br-,

change I-
4 Test with conc. H2SO4 a. Thick brown Presence of Nitrate
and paper ball: fumes (solution (NO3-) [HNO3 formed
A little of the salt is doesn’t turn red) is reduced by
strongly heated with carbon of the paper
conc. H2SO4 and then ball to brown NO2]
a small paper ball is
added to it b. No brown fumes Absence of Nitrate
(NO3-)
5 Test with Barium a. White precipitate Presence of
chloride: sulphate (SO42-)
A little of the salt is [The precipitate is
dissolved in dilute HCl barium sulphate]
and few drops of

2
 barium chloride b. No precipitate Absence of SO42-
solution is added

6 Test with ammonium a. Yellow precipitate Presence of

molybdate: or coloration in phosphate (PO43-)
Heat a little of the salt the cold or on
with conc. H2SO4 and just warming.
add 2 drops of this
solution to excess of b. No yellow Absence of
ammonium molybdate precipitate phosphate (PO43-)
solution and warmed.

B. Confirmatory test for anions

1 Carbonate (CO32-):
a. Action with BaCl2 A white precipitate is Presence of CO32- is
solution: A little of formed confirmed (The
the BaCl2 solution is precipitate is
added to the salt BaCO3)
solution

b. Dilute HCl is added Brisk effervescence and Presence of CO32- is

to the above the precipitate is confirmed. (HCl
precipitate dissolved decomposes BaCO3
liberating CO2 gas)
2 Acetate (CH3COO-)
a. Neutral ferric Deep red colour Presence of
chloride test: To a CH3COO- is
little of the salt confirmed. [The red
solution add neutral colouration is due
FeCl3 solution. [Add to the formation of
NH4OH in drops to basic ferric acetate]
yellow FeCl3 to a
reddish-brown
solution]

b. Ethyl acetate test: A Pleasant fruity smell Presence of

little of the salt (smell of ester) CH3COO- is
solution is warmed confirmed. [The
with few drops of smell is due to
conc. H2SO4 and 1 formation of ethyl
ml of ethanol. It is acetate]
then poured into
excess of water.

3 Chloride (Cl-)
a. Test with conc. Greenish yellow gas
H2SO4 and MnO2: A with irritating smell

3
 little of the salt is Presence of Cl- is
heated with conc. confirmed. [The gas
H2SO4 and MnO2 is chlorine]
b. Silver nitrate
solution test: AgNO3 A curdy white
solution is added to precipitate.
the salt solution Presence of Cl- is
containing dil. confirmed. [The
HNO3 precipitate is AgCl]
4 Bromide (Br-)
a. Test with conc. Reddish brown vapours Presence of Br- is
H2SO4 and MnO2: A and dark brown liquid confirmed [Bromine
little of the salt is on the cooler part of the vapours and liquid
heated with conc. test tube. is evolved]
H2SO4 and MnO2

b. Silver nitrate A pale-yellow Presence of Br- is

solution test: AgNO3 precipitate sparingly confirmed [ The
solution is added to soluble in NH4OH precipitate is AgBr]
the salt solution
containing dil.
HNO3
5 Nitrate (NO3-)
a. Brown ring test: Brown ring at the Presence of NO3- is
A little of the salt junction of the two confirmed. [The
solution is mixed layers. brown ring is due to
with freshly the formation of
prepared ferrous complex
sulphate solution. nitrosoferrous
Conc. Sulphuric sulphate
acid is then added (FeSO4.NO)
through the sides of
the test tube
without shaking.

b. Reduction test: A Colourless gas with the Presence of NO3- is

little of the salt smell of ammonia. confirmed. [The gas
solution is heated Dense white fumes is ammonia.
with zinc dust (or conc. HCl Nascent hydrogen
aluminium powder) produced from the
and NaOH solution. reaction between
Zinc and NaOH,
reduces nitrate to
ammonia
6 Sulphate (SO42-)
a. Lead acetate A white precipitate is Presence of SO42-
solution: lead formed. confirmed. [The
acetate solution is
4
 added to the salt precipitate is
solution PbSO4]
b. Ammonium acetate The precipitate is
is added to the dissolved. Presence of SO42-
above precipitated confirmed [PbSO4 is
and heated. soluble in
ammonium acetate
due to the
formation of soluble
lead acetate]
TESTS FOR CATIONS
A. Identification tests
1 Analysis of group 0:
NH4+
To a little of the salt No precipitate Presence of group 0,
solution, Na2CO3 NH4+ [Ammonium
solution is added. carbonate is soluble
in water]

Precipitate obtained. Absence of NH4+

2 Analysis of group I:
Pb2+
Dilute HCl is added to White precipitate Presence of group I,
the salt solution. A soluble in hot water lead Pb2+ [The
portion of the and appears on cooling. precipitate is lead
precipitate is boiled chloride]
with water.
3 Analysis of group II:
Cu2+
Hydrogen sulphide is Black precipitate Presence of group
passed through the II, Cu2+ [ The
salt solution precipitate is CuS]
containing dil. HCl.
4 Analysis of group III:
Al3+
NH4Cl and NH4OH are White gelatinous Presence of group
added to a little of the precipitate III, Al3+ [The
salt solution precipitate is
aluminium
hydroxide]
5 Analysis of group IV:
Zn2+
Hydrogen sulphide is A dirty white precipitate Presence of group
passed through the IV, Zn2+ [The
salt solution precipitate is zinc
containing NH4Cl and sulphide]
NH4OH

5
6 Analysis of group V:
Ba2+/Ca2+/Sr2+
NH4Cl, NH4OH and White precipitate Presence of group
(NH4)2CO3 are added to V, Ba2+/Ca2+/Sr2+
a little of the salt
solution.
7 Analysis of group VI:
Mg2+
Disodium hydrogen White crystalline Presence of group
phosphate is added to precipitate VI, Mg2+ [The
the salt solution precipitate is
containing NH4Cl, magnesium
NH4OH and (NH4)2CO3 ammonium
phosphate]
B Confirmatory tests for cations
1 NH4+
a. A little of the salt is Pungent smelling Presence of NH4+ is
heated with NaOH colourless gas is confirmed. [It is due
solution. A glass evolved which produces to the liberation of
rod dipped in conc. dense white fumes with ammonia which
HCl is brought near conc. HCl. reacts with HCl
to the mouth of the producing dense
test-tube. white fumes of
NH4Cl.

b. A little of the salt Yellow or brown Presence of NH4+ is

solution is made precipitate. confirmed. [The
alkaline with NaOH precipitate is basic
solution and mercuric iodide]
Nessler’s reagent is
added.
2 Pb 2+
a. A little KI solution is Yellow precipitate Presence of Pb2+ is
added to the salt confirmed. [The
solution precipitate is lead
iodide]

b. Acetic acid and Yellow precipitate Presence of Pb2+ is

potassium chromate confirmed. [The
solutions are added precipitate is lead
to the salt solution chromate]
3 Al3+

6
 Presence of Al3+ is
Ash test Blue ash confirmed. [Mixed
A little of the salt oxides of cobalt and
solution is treated aluminium are
with few drops of formed]
conc. HNO3 and
cobalt nitrate
solution. A filter
paper soaked in this
solution is burnt to
ashes.
4

Ash test Green ash. Presence of Zn2+ is

A little of the salt confirmed. [Mixed
solution is treated oxides of cobalt and
with few drops of zinc are formed]
conc. HNO3 and
cobalt nitrate
solution. A filter
paper soaked in this
solution is burnt to
ashes.
5 Ba2+
a. Acetic acid and Yellow precipitate Presence of Ba2+ is
potassium chromate confirmed. [The
solutions are added precipitate is
to the salt solution barium chromate]

b. Flame test Apple green colour Presence of Ba2+ is

A paste of the salt confirmed.
in conc. HCl is
introduced into the
Bunsen flame.

Ca2+
a. Ammonium White precipitate Presence of Ca2+ is
hydroxide and confirmed [The
ammonium oxalate
7
 solutions are added precipitate is
to the salt solution. calcium oxalate]
b. Flame test
A paste of the salt Brick red colour
in conc. HCl is Presence of Ca2+ is
introduced into the confirmed.
Bunsen flame

Sr2+
a. The group White precipitate
precipitate is Presence of Sr2+ is
dissolved in confirmed.
minimum dilute HCl
and ammonium
sulphate is added to
the solution.

b. Flame test
A paste of the salt in Crimson red colour
conc. HCl is Presence of Sr2+ is
introduced into the confirmed
Bunsen flame
6 Ash test
Pink ash Presence of Mg2+ is
confirmed.

RESULT: The given salt contains:

Anion:
Cation:
The given salt is ………………………………..