Salt Analysis -Procedure

Experiment Observation Inference

S.No I. Preliminary Tests
1. Colour: a) white NH4+, Pb2+, Zn2+, Al3+, Ba2+,
Noted the colour of the salt Mg2+ may be present
b) Light Pink Mn2+ may be present

2. Odour: a) Vinegar like smell Presence of CH3COO- ion

Take a pinch of the salt in between b) Ammoniacal smell Presence of NH4+ion
fingers and rub it with a drop of water c)No characteristics Absence of CH3COO-,
smell NH4+ion

3. Solubility: a) Soluble Crystalline Solid

Dissolve a little of the salt in distilled b) Insoluble Amorphous Solid
water
II. Identification of Anions
Group -I
4. Dil. H2SO4 Test: Brisk effervescence CO32- may be present
To a pinch of salt in a dry test tube, add 1- (bubbles), colourless,
2 ml dil.H2SO4 odourless gas is given
out which turns lime
water milky (CO2)
Group-II
5. Conc. H2SO4 Test: a) Colourless gas, HCl gas evolved,
To the Pinch of salt add 1ml of conc. pungent Cl- may be present
H2SO4 suffocating
produces dense
white fumes with
glass rod dipped
in NH4OH CH3COO- may be present
solution NO2 gas evolved.
b) Smell of Vinegar NO3- (nitrate) may be present
c) Brown gas, which
intensifies on
adding copper
turnings

Group-III - Independent Radicals

a) Sulphate (SO42-):
6. Barium chloride Test:
To the aqueous solution of salt add barium White precipitate SO42- ion is confirmed
chloride solution in presence of dilute HCl obtained is insoluble
acid. in dil. HCl.
Lead acetate Test:
To the aqueous solution of salt add lead White precipitate is SO42- ion is confirmed
acetate solution in presence of dilute acetic obtained
acid
7. Phosphate (PO43-):
a) Ammonium molybdate Test: Dark yellow Presence of PO43-
To the aqueous solution of salt add conc. precipitate is obtained ion is confirmed
HNO3 and ammonium molybdate in excess
and boil.
 Confirmatory Test forAnions:
Carbonates (CO32-):
1. Magnesium Sulphate Test: White precipitate is Presence of CO32-
To the salt solution add MgSO4 solution. formed confirmed

2. Chlorides (Cl-): White precipitate Presence of Cl- ion is

a) Silver nitrate test: soluble in excess of confirmed
To 1ml of aqueous extract add few NH4OH
drops of dilute HNO3 followed by
silver nitrate (AgNO3) solution
b) MnO2 test:
A greenish yellow gas Presence of Cl- is
To a pinch of salt add MnO2 and few
with pungent smell is confirmed
drops of conc. H2SO4 . Heat the
content. evolved
c) Chromyl chloride test:
i) A little of the salt is heated Red vapours of Presence of Cl- is
with potassium dichromate chromyl chloride are confirmed
and conc. H2SO4 evolved
ii) Collect the vapours and add NaOH Sodium hydroxide Presence of Cl- is
solution solution turns yellow Confirmed

iii) To the yellow solution add lead

acetate solution in presence of Yellow precipitate is Presence of Cl- is
acetic acid formed Confirmed

3. Acetate (CH3COO-):
i) To the aqueous solution of salt add Vinegar like vapours CH3COO- may be present
conc.H2SO4 solution. evolve
ii) Oxalic acid Test:
To the salt on a watch glass mix
oxalic acid and prepare a paste. Smell like that of Presence of CH3COO- is
Rub the paste and smell vinegar confirmed

iii) Ester test

To 1ml of aqueous extract add 1 Presence of fruity Presence of CH3COO- is
ml of conc. H2SO4 and 1 ml of smell confirmed
ethyl alcohol and heat in water
bath for 1 min. Then pour the
contents in beaker full of water.

iv) FeCl3 Test:

To the aqueous extract add neutral
FeCl3 solution. Reddish solution with
Filter and divide the filtrate into insoluble red Presence of acetate CH3COO-
two portions. precipitate
a) To one portion add dil. HCl. Reddish colour Presence of CH3COO- is
disappears confirmed
b) To the second portion, add
water and boil. Reddish ppt Presence of CH3COO- is
confirmed
4. Nitrate (NO3-):
a) To a little salt add conc.H2SO4 add Cu Brown vapours and Presence of NO3- is
turnings and heat it. green solution. confirmed
b) Brown ring test:
To the aqueous extract add freshly A brown ring is Presence of NO3- is
prepared ferrous sulphate solution formed at the junction confirmed
followed by conc.H2SO4 very slowly of the two liquids.
by the side of the test tube.
c) Diphenyl amine test: A deep blue Presence of NO3- is
To the aqueous extract add few drops colouration is confirmed
of diphenyl amine solution. obtained
5. Sulphate (SO42-):
a) Barium chloride test:
To the salt solution add barium White precipitate is Presence of SO42- is
chloride solution in presence of dil. obtained insoluble in confirmed
HCl. dil. HCl.
b) Lead acetate Test:
To the aqueous solution of salt White precipitate is Presence of SO42- is
add lead acetate solution in obtained confirmed
presence of dilute acetic acid

6. Phosphate (PO43-):
a) Ammonium molybdate Test:
To the aqueous solution of salt Dark yellow Presence of PO43-
add conc. HNO3 and ammonium precipitate is obtained ion is confirmed
molybdate in excess and boil.
b) Magnesia mixture test:
To the aqueous solution of salt add
HCl and boil off CO2 if present ,add A white precipitate is Presence of PO43-
magnesia mixture and allow to stand. obtained ion is confirmed
Identification of Cations:
Preparation of Original Solution (O.S):
Take a pinch of salt in a test tube add water and shake it. The solution of salt in water is called water
extract or aqueous extract. If the salt is sparingly soluble and forms turbid solution, then filter the water
extract and use the filtrate as aqueous extract.
1. Group Zero radical (NH4+):
Group Reagent-Conc.NaOH
a) To the original solution add Conc. Smell of ammonia Group (0) NH4+ may be
NaOH solution. present.
b) Bring a glass rod dipped in dil. HCl Dense white fumes Presence of NH4+ is
and near the mouth of test tube. appear (NH4Cl) confirmed.
c) Nesseler’s Reagent test Brown precipitate is Presence of NH4+ is
Pass the gas through Nesseler’s obtained confirmed.
reagent

2. Group 1 radical (Pb2+):

Group Reagent – Dil.HCl
a) To the aqueous solution of salt add dil. White precipitate Pb2+ may be present
HCl.
b) Filter the above solution, wash the
precipitate with water. Now boil the
aqueous solution.
 Divide this hot solution in two parts:
i) To the first part add KI solution. Yellow precipitate Pb2+ is confirmed
ii) To the second part add K2CrO4 Yellow precipitate Pb2+ is confirmed
solution.
3. Group II radicals (Cu2+, As3+, Pb2+):
Group Reagent- H2S in presence of dil. HCl a) White Presence of Group II A (Pb2+,
Through the part of the above precipitate Cu2+)
solution, pass hydrogen sulphide b) Yellow Presence of Group II B (As3+)
precipitate
Absence of Group II A & II B
c) No precipitate (Pb2+, Cu2+, As3+)
4. Group III radicals (Al3+, Fe2+, Fe3+):
Group Reagent- NH4Cl and excess NH4OH a) Gelatinous Presence of (Al3+)
To a little of salt solution NH4Cl and white
excess NH4OH are added. precipitate
b) Reddish brown Presence of (Fe3+)
Precipitate
c) No Precipitate Absence of (Al3+, Fe3+)

5. Group IV radicals (Co2+, Ni2+, Mn2+, Zn2+):

Group Reagent- H2S in presence of NH4Cl
and NH4OH
To the salt solution add NH4Cl, NH4OH No Precipitate Absence of Co2+, Ni2+, Mn2+,
and pass H2S gas. Zn2+

6. Group V radicals (Ba2+, Sr2+, Ca2+):

Group Reagent- (NH4)2CO3 in presence of
NH4OH and NH4Cl No white precipitate Absence of Ba2+, Sr2+, Ca2+
To the salt solution add ammonium
carbonate in the presence of NH4OH and
NH4Cl
7. Group VI radicals (Mg2+):
No Group reagent
To the original solution add NH4OH
excess. Now add few drops of No white precipitate Absence of Mg2+
disodium hydrogen phosphate. Scratch
the sides of the test tube.
Confirmatory test for Basic Radicals
1. For NH4+:
a) NaOH test:
To the pinch of the salt add conc. Smell of ammonia Presence of NH4+ ion is
NaOH solution confirmed
b) Bring the glass rod dipped in dil. HCl Dense white fumes Presence of NH4+ ion is
acid near the mouth of test tube appear (NH4Cl) confirmed
c) Nesseler’s Reagent test:
To the original salt solution add Brown precipitate Presence of NH4+ ion is
Nesseler’s reagent. confirmed
2. For Pb2+:
a) To the aqueous solution of salt add dil. White precipitate is Presence of Pb2+ is confirmed
HCl obtained
b) Filter the above solution, wash the
precipitate with water. Now boil the
aqueous solution. Divide this hot
solution into two parts:
i) Potassium iodide test: Yellow precipitate is Presence of Pb2+ is confirmed
To the first part add KI solution. obtained
ii) Potassium chromate test: Yellow precipitate is Presence of Pb2+ is confirmed
To the second part add K2CrO4 obtained.
Solution.

Results:
The given simple salt contains ………………………………………….
…………………………………….……