Systematic Procedure for Inorganic Qualitative Analysis

Systematic Analysis of Anion

S.No Experiment Observation Inference
Preliminary Reactions
1 (a)Appearance Colourless Absence of Fe2+, Fe3+, Ni2+, Co2+.
(b)Solubility: Soluble May be carbonate is
To a pinch of salt add 2ml absent
of distilled water. Insoluble May be due to carbonate
A colourless gas with a May be NH4+ salt
characteristic pungent
Action of heat: odour turning moist red
Take a small amount of litmus paper blue.
the given salt taken in a Reddish brown vapours May be NO3-
2
dry test tube, heat it turning acidified ferrous
gently; then strongly. sulphate paper brown, are
obtained.
Colourless gas with the CH3COO- may be present.
smell of vinegar.
No characteristic change Absence of NH4+,NO3- ,CH3COO-
3 Flame Test: (i) Bluish green flame May be Cu2+
To a small amount of the (ii) Apple green May be Ba2+
given salt in a watch (iii) Brick red May be Ca2+
glass, add a drop of Conc. (iv) Crimson red May be Sr2+
HCl and make it into a (v) No Characteristic flame
Absence of Cu2+, Ba2+, Ca2+
paste. Introduce the
paste with the help of a and Sr2+
glass rod to the base
of the non-luminous
bunsen burner.
4 Ash test: (i) Blue ash May be Al3+
To a small amount of the (ii) Green ash May be Zn2+
given salt taken in a (iii) Pink ash May be Mg2+
watch glass, add 1ml of (iv) No Characteristic ash
Absence of Al3+, Zn2+ and
Conc.HNO3 and a drop of
Mg2+
cobalt nitrate solution.
Mix it well. Dip a filter
paper bit in a Bunsen
flame. After it burns
remove it from flame
observe the colour of the
ash formed.
Action of dilute H2SO4: Brisk effervescence of May be due to CO32-
5 To a small portion of the colourless, odourless gas
given salt taken in a test turning lime water, milky is
tube add 1 or 2ml of obtained.
Reddish brown gas with May be due to NO3
-
H2SO4 and gently warm
it. fishy odour turning
acidified ferrous sulphate
brown is obtained.
Colourless gas with vinegar May be due to CH3COO-
like odour was observed

Absence of CO32-, NO3-,

No characteristic CH3COO-
observation.
 Action of Colourless gas with pungent Anion may be chloride.
Conc.H2SO4: smell giving dense white
To a small amount of fumes with a glass
given salt taken in a test rod dipped in NH4OH
tube, add 1-2 ml of solution.
Conc.H2SO4 and gently Reddish brown vapours Anion may be nitrate.
heat it. turning acidified ferrous
sulphate paper brown.
No characteristic Absence of Cl-, Br-, I- & NO3-
observation.
7 Action of dil.HCl:
To a small amount of the Brisk effervescence with the
salt add dil.HCl. evolution of a colourless May be due to presence of
odourless gas. carbonate.

No effervescence
Absence of carbonate.
8 Independent group test:
(i) Sulphate:
Boil a small amount of salt A white precipitate of BaSO4 May be due to presence of SO42-.
with dil. HCl in a test tube. is formed.
Filter the contents, and to
the filtrate add few drops
of BaCl2 solution. No white precipitate Absence of SO42-.
9 Independent group test:
(ii) Phosphate:
Boil a small amount of salt A yellow precipitate of Presence of PO43-.
with conc. HNO3 in a test ammonium phosphate
tube and add few drops of molybdate is formed.
ammonium molybdate
solution. No Yellow precipitate Absence of PO43-.
10 Action of NaOH: A colourless gas with a Cation is ammonium.
To a pinch of the given pungent smell giving dense
salt taken in a test tube, white fumes with glass rod
add few ml of 10% NaOH dipped in HCl is obtained.
solution and gently warm
it. No characteristic gas is Ammonium is absent.
Ammonium liberated.
 Confirmatory tests for anions:

S.No Experiment Observation Inference

1 Carbonate:
(ii) To the salt solution add White precipitate was Presence of carbonate is
few drops of BaCl2 solution. obtained confirmed.

(iii) To the salt solution,

add magnesium sulphate
(MgSO4) solution. White precipitate was Presence of carbonate is
obtained.
confirmed.

2 Chloride:
(i) To the salt solution add White precipitate soluble in Presence of chloride is
dilute HNO3 until excess of NH4OH is confirmed.
effervescence ceases. Add observed.
few drops in excess, 2 –
3ml of AgNO3 solution.

(ii) To a pinch of salt add Yellow precipitate was Presence of chloride is confirmed.
potassium dichromate in observed
a test tube. Add Conc.
H2SO4. Heat the contents
of the test tube and pass
the red-orange vapours
evolved into the test tube
containing NaOH.
To the yellow solution add
dil. acetic acid and lead
acetate solution.
3 Nitrate:
(i) Brown Ring Test:
To about 1 or 2ml of the A brown ring is obtained at Presence of Nitrate is confirmed.
salt solution add dilute the junction of the liquid.
H2SO4 in drops until the
effervescence ceases. And
few drops in excess add 2-
3 drops of freshly prepared
FeSO4 solution. Keeping
the test tube in a slanting
position, add Conc. H2SO4
without disturbing the
solution.

(ii) Copper chips test: Dark brown vapours were Presence of Nitrate is confirmed.
Heat a little salt with observed
Conc. H2SO4 and a few
copper chips in a dry test
tube.

4 Sulphate:
(i) To the salt solution add White precipitate insoluble Presence of sulphate is
BaCl2 solution. in dil.HCl confirmed.

(ii) To the salt solution, White precipitate insoluble in Presence of sulphate is

add lead acetate solution. excess of ammonium acetate confirmed.
was observed.
5 Phosphate:
Boil a small amount of salt A yellow precipitate is Presence of phosphate is
with conc. HNO3 in a test formed. confirmed.
tube and add few drops of
ammonium molybdate
solution.
6 Acetate:
(i) Ester test:
Take a small quantity of Pleasant fruity smell of Presence of acetate ion.
the salt in a test-tube. Add ester.
conc. H2SO4 (2 ml) and
heat. Now ethyl alcohol (1
ml). Shake. Pour the
contents of the tube in a
beaker full of water. Stir.

(ii) Ferric chloride test:

To a small quantity of salt Reddish coloured filtrate.
solution add neutral ferric
chloride solution. Filter.
Divide the filtrate into two
portions.

(i) To one part, add water Reddish brown precipitate.

and boil.

(ii) To second part, add Reddish colour disappears. Presence of acetate ion is
dil. HCl. confirmed.
 Systematic Analysis of Cations
Preparation of Original solution:
Dissolved a small quantity of the given salt in distilled water.

Procedure for Separation of Basic Radicals into

Groups

Analysis and confirmatory tests for Cations:

Group O (NH4+):

(i) To a pinch of given salt add Brown precipitate was Presence of ammonium is
some water and warm. obtained. confirmed.
Then allow it to cool. Add
Nessler’s reagent and
excess of NaOH solution.
(ii) To the salt solution, add Dense white precipitate Presence of ammonium is
NaOH and heat. Dip a glass confirmed.
rod in conc.HCl and show it
to the mouth of the test tube.

Group I (lead):

Experiment Observation Inference

To the salt solution add A yellow precipitate of Presence of lead is confirmed.
potassium chromate is obtained.
solution.
Golden Spangles Test: A yellow precipitate is Presence of lead is confirmed.
To the salt solution add KI obtained.
solution

To above yellow precipitate, Precipitate dissolves and

add some H2O, boil and then reappears in the form of
cool. golden spangles.
Group III (Aluminum):

To the salt solution, add Formation of a blue floating Presence of

NH4OH solution in excess. ppt. in colourless solution. aluminum is confirmed.
(This is known as Lake test).A
blue ppt., suspended in a
colourless medium (called a
lake)

To the salt solution add NaOH White Precipitate soluble in Presence of

solution excess of NaOH solution aluminum is confirmed.

Group IV (Zinc):
Confirmation of Zn2+:
To the salt solution add White ppt soluble in excess of Presence of Zinc is
NaOH dropwise. NaOH is obtained. confirmed.

Potassium ferrocyanide
test: White or bluish white ppt was Presence of Zinc is
To the salt solution add few observed. confirmed.
drops of potassium
ferrocyanide solution

Group V (Barium, strontium and calcium):

Barium:
To the salt solution, add Yellow precipitate Presence of Barium is
potassium chromate and confirmed.
acetic acid.

Flame test:
To a small amount of the given
salt in a watch glass, add a Apple-green flame Presence of Barium is
drop of Conc. HCl and make it confirmed.
into a paste. Introduce the
paste with the help of a glass
rod to the base of the non-
luminous bunsen burner.
Strontium:
To the salt solution, add White precipitate Presence of Strontium
ammonium sulphate. is confirmed.

Flame test:
To a small amount of the Crimson-red flame Presence of Strontium
given salt in a watch glass, is confirmed.
add a drop of Conc. HCl and
make it into a paste.
Introduce the paste with the
help of a glass rod to the base
of the non-luminous bunsen
burner.
Calcium:
To the salt solution add White precipitate Presence of Calcium
ammonium oxalate. is confirmed.

Flame test:
To a small amount of the given Brick-red flame Presence of Calcium
salt in a watch glass, add a is confirmed.
drop of Conc. HCl and make it
into a paste. Introduce the
paste with the help of a glass
rod to the base of the non-
luminous bunsen burner.
 Group VI (Magnesium):

Ash test:
To a small amount of the given Pink ash Presence of
salt taken in a watch glass, add Magnesium is confirmed.
1ml of Conc.HNO3 and a drop
of cobalt nitrate solution. Mix it
well. Dip a filter paper bit in a
Bunsen flame. After it burns
remove it from flame observe
the colour of the ash formed.

To the salt solution add Blue coloured precipitate Presence of

magneson reagent and NaOH Magnesium is confirmed.
in excess.

Result:

The given inorganic salt contains Acid radical …………….

Basic radical ………………
The salt is …………………..