Salt Analysis (stepwise Notes)
PRELIMINARY & DRY TEST
Physical Examination:
Sr No. Colour Inference
1. Colourless Generally: Al³⁺, Zn²⁺, Cd²⁺, Sr²⁺, Ba²⁺, Mg²⁺,
Na⁺, K⁺, Pb²⁺, NH₄⁺, etc.
2. Blue or Bluish-Green Cu²⁺
3. Dark Brown or Yellow Fe³⁺
4. Green Fe²⁺, Ni²⁺
5. Violet Co²⁺
6. Light pink Mn²⁺
A. State
1. Amorphous: CO₃²⁻, S²⁻, O²⁻, PO₄³⁻
2. Crystalline: Cl⁻, Br⁻, I⁻, NO₃⁻, SO₄²⁻
B. Odour
1. Vinegar-like smell: CH₃COO⁻
2. Rotten eggs: S²⁻
3. Ammoniacal: NH₄⁺
C. Solubility in Water: Take distilled water in test tube & add salt
1) Insoluble: S²⁻, O²⁻, PO₄³⁻
2) Soluble: CO₃²⁻, Cl⁻, Br⁻, I⁻, SO₄²⁻, NO₃⁻, Na⁺, K⁺, NH₄⁺
D. Heating in a Dry Test Tube
• In a clean dry test tube, take a small amount and heat it.
1) Evolution of Gas or Vapour (Coloured Gas)
• Violet gas → I⁻
• Reddish brown → NO₃⁻, NO₂⁻, Br⁻
• Yellowish green with pungent smell → Cl⁻
• Colourless and odourless turning lime water milky (CO2) → CO32-
2) Cracking Sound
• NaCl, KBr, KI, Pb(NO₃)₂, Ba(NO₃)₂
3) Colourless Gases
• Vinegar-like smell → CH₃COO⁻ (and blue litmus turns red)
• Ammoniacal → NH₄+
4) The salt swells upto a voluminous mass → Po43-
5) Ammonical smell, gives white fumes with glass rod dipped in HCL → NH+4
Wet Test for Anions:
1. Substances + Dil. H₂SO₄
• Substance + dil. H₂SO₄ + Heat → Bubble gas (turns lime water milky) → CO₃²⁻
present
• Substance + dil. H₂SO₄ + Heat → Put lead acetate paper black (rotten egg smell)
→S²⁻ present
• Substance + dil. H₂SO₄ + Heat → Put K₂Cr₂O₇ green → SO₃²⁻ present
• Substance + dil. H₂SO₄ + Heat → Brown fumes → NO₂⁻ present
2. Substances + Conc. H₂SO₄
• Substance + conc. H₂SO₄ + Heat + glass rod dipped in NH₄OH → White fumes →
Cl⁻ present
• Substance + conc. H₂SO₄ + Heat → Orange brown fumes → Br⁻ present
• Substance + conc. H₂SO₄ + Heat → Violet fumes → I⁻ present
• Substance + conc. H₂SO₄ + Heat → Brown fumes → NO₃⁻ present
• Substance + conc. H₂SO₄ + Heat → Colourless vapours (smells vinegar, blue
litmus turns red) → CH₃COO⁻ present
Confirmatory Test
1. Test for independent acidic radicals (so₄²⁻, po₄³⁻):
• SO₄²⁻ (Sulphate):-
o O.S + BaCl₂ → white PPT insoluble in dil. HCl → SO₄²⁻ confirmed
o O.S + lead acetate → white PPT → SO₄²⁻ confirmed
• PO₄³⁻ (Phosphate)
3. Salt + Conc. HNO₃ + ammonium molybdate (excess) → yellow PPT → PO₄³⁻
confirmed (1–2 ml conc. HNO₃, 8–10 ml ammonium molybdate)
2. Confirmation of Acid Radical (Anions):
•Test for carbonate (co₃²⁻):-
(i) Aqeous solⁿ + add MgSO₄ solⁿ → white PPT → CO₃²⁻ confirmed
(ii) Aqeous solⁿ + add phenolphthalein → pink → CO₃²⁻ confirmed
• Test for nitrate (NO₃⁻):-
1. Salt + Conc. H₂SO₄ + copper chips + heat → brown fumes (which turn FeSO₄
solⁿ black) → NO₃⁻ confirmed
2. O.S + diphenylamine (1ml) → blue colour → NO₃⁻ confirmed
3. P.O.S + FeSO₄ + Conc. H₂SO₄ → dark brown ring formed (side of T.T) →
NO₃⁻ confirmed
• Chloride Test (Cl⁻):
4. OS + 1–2 drops conc. HNO₃ + AgNO₃ → white PPT → Cl⁻ confirmed
5. P.O.S + K₂CrO₄ + Conc. H₂SO₄ → reddish brown (Chromyl Chloride Test)
6. Pass yellow gas into T.T of NaOH → yellow coloration → Cl⁻ confirmed
• Acetate Test (CH₃COO⁻)
1. O.S + neutral FeCl₃ → Red colouration. Divide it into two parts
2. FeCl₃ solⁿ + water boil → reddish brown ppt
3. FeCl₃ solⁿ + dil. HCl → red coloration disappears
4. Oxalic Acid Test
• Salt + dilute cold H₂SO₄ → smell of vinegar → CH₃COOH prepared
Wet Test for Cations
1. Group (0) : Ammonium (NH₄⁺) Radical Test
• Have a little salt + 2-3 ml NaOH + Heat to boil
• ↑ evolution of NH₃ gas which can be detected by:
o a) Smell: ammonical
o b) Red litmus kept in mouth near test tube → turns blue
o c) Glass rod dipped in HCl kept near mouth of T.T. gives white fumes of NH₄Cl
• Pass gas → reddish brown → NH₄⁺ confirmed!
2. Group Test for Cation
Group Test Observation
1. O.S + Dil. HCl PbCl₂ (white ppt)
2. O.S + Dil. HCl + H₂S Cu²⁺ (black), Hg²⁺ (black), Pb²⁺ (black), As³⁺ (yellow ppt)
3. O.S + NH₄Cl + NH₄OH Fe³⁺ (light brown), Al³⁺ (white gelatinous ppt)
4. O.S + NH₄Cl + NH₄OH + Zn²⁺ (white ppt), Ni²⁺ (black), Mn²⁺ (light pink), Co²⁺ (black)
H₂S
5. O.S + NH₄Cl + NH₄OH + Ca²⁺ (white ppt), Ba²⁺ (white ppt), Sr²⁺ (white ppt)
(NH₄)₂CO₃
6. O.S + NH₄Cl + NH₄OH + Mg²⁺ (white ppt)
(NH₄)3PO₄
Confirmation Test for Cations
1. Confirmation of Lead (Pb²⁺)
• O.S + KI → Yellow ppt → Pb²⁺ confirmed
• O.S + K₂CrO₄ → Yellow ppt → Pb²⁺ confirmed
2. Confirmation of Aluminium (Al³⁺)
• Dissolve the white ppt in dil. HCl and divide the solution into two parts:
i) Lake Test
1. To one part, add a few drops of blue litmus solution + excess of NH₄OH
2. Observation: Blue ppt floating in transparent solution → Al³⁺ confirmed
ii) To the second part, add NaOH solution
3. Observation: White ppt soluble in excess NaOH → Al³⁺ confirmed
3. Confirmation of Zinc (Zn²⁺)
• Dissolve the white ppt in dil. HCl and boil off H₂S gas, then divide the solution into
two parts:
1. To one part, add NaOH solution
o Observation: White ppt soluble in NaOH → Zn²⁺ confirmed
2. To the second part, add Potassium ferrocyanide (K₄[Fe(CN)₆] solution
o Observation: White or bluish-white ppt → Zn²⁺ confirmed
4. Confirmation of Calcium (Ca²⁺)
• White ppt of Group V + dissolve by acetic acid + heat + ammonium oxalate
solution
•
1. Observation: White ppt → Ca²⁺ confirmed
5. Confirmation of Strontium (Sr²⁺)
• O.S + ammonium sulphate
o Observation: White ppt → Sr²⁺ confirmed
• Flame Test
o Observation: Crimson red color → Sr²⁺ confirmed
6. Confirmation of Magnesium (Mg²⁺)
o O.S + ammonium phosphate
• Observation: White ppt → Mg²⁺ confirmed
7. Confirmation of Barium (Ba2+)
o O.S + potassium chromate (k2crO4)
8. Additional Notes
1. "White ppt of Group V": Refers to the precipitate obtained during Group V cation analysis.
2. Flame Test:
o Different cations emit characteristic flame colors when heated.
o Strontium (Sr²⁺) gives a crimson red flame.
