1
Salt analysis SCHEMATIC chart
SYSTEMATIC SEMIMICRO QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS OF SIMPLE
INORGANIC SALTS
The analysis procedure consists of THREE stages, namely:
1. PRILIMINARY ANALYSIS.
2. IDENTIFICATION OF ACID RADICAL.
3. IDENTIFICATION OF BASIC RADICAL.
Discussion of each stage in detail:
1. PRILIMINARY ANALYSIS:
In this analysis the given salt is subjected to three observations:
a) COLOUR:
b) STATE:
The salt is to be identified for its crystalline state or amorphous state. This identification can be
done by mere observation of by the sense of touch.
c) SOLUBILITY TEST:
Here the solubility of the salt is tested in two solvents in the order give below.
WATER Dil. HCl
Firstly, the solubility of the salt is tested in water, if it is soluble then it is to be mentioned in
the column below water as ‘SOLUBLE’. If the salt in insoluble in water, then it is to be
mentioned as ‘INSOLUBLE’ in the water column and is proceeded to test with respect to dil.
HCl where it is to be mentioned as ‘SOLUBLE’.
Note: For the above solubility test, take small amount of the given salt and excess solvent in the
semimicro test tube.
2. IDENTIFICATION OF ACID RADICAL (ANION)
Here the acid radicals are classified into three groups, i.e.,
GROUP GROUP REAGENT GROUP RADICALS (ANIONS)
1 Dil. HCl CO32-, HCO3-, S-2, SO32- &
NO3-
- 2-
2 Con. H2SO4 Cl-, Br-, I-, NO3 , C2O4 , &
CH3COO-
3 …………….. SO4 , PO43-, & BO33-.
2-
Note: Only the Acid radicals in bold above are analyzed in the laboratory.
2
IDENTIFICATION OF I GROUP ANIONS
Group Reagent: dil. HCl
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
Salt + few drops of dil. HCl Vigorous reaction with the I group anion is present
evolution of BRISK
EFFERVESCENCE
A colourless, odourless gas is
evolved, which turns lime May be CO32- or HCO3-.
water milky.
CONFIRMATORY TEST TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN CO32- and HCO3-.
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
Salt + small amount of water, Lime water does not turn CO32- is confirmed.
Heat. Pass the vapours milky
evolved into lime water
IDENTIFICATION OF II GROUP ACID RADICALS
Note: Use dry test tube for the identification of II group acid radical.
Group Reagent: Con. H2SO4
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
Salt in a dry test tube + few Vigorous reaction II Group anion is present
drops of con. H2SO4.
A colourless gas is evolved
Hold a glass moist glass rod
dipped in NH3 to the mouth Dense white fumes are Cl-is present
of the test tube produced
Reddish-Brown fumes are
evolved with the solution Br- is present
turning brown.
NO3- is present
If no reaction in cold, add a Light brown fumes evolved 3
piece of Cu/Paper ball into with solution not turning
the test tube, heat well brown.
No Characteristic reaction II Group anion is absent
CONFIRMATORY TEST FOR CHLORIDE RADICAL: Chromyl Chloride test
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
-
Salt + K2Cr2O7 crystals taken Orange red vapours Cl is confirmed.
in a dry test tube + few drops are evolved
of Con. H2SO4.
The above vapours are Yellow solution is
passed into a test tube obtained
containing NaOH solution
Above yellow solution + Bright yellow
Acetic acid solution + Lead precipitate is Chloride anion (Cl-) is
acetate solution obtained confirmed.
CONFIRMATORY TEST FOR CHLORIDE RADICAL: AgNO3 TEST
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
-
Salt solution + few drops of Curdy white precipitate is Cl is confirmed.
AgNO3 solution formed which is soluble in
excess of NH4OH
CONFIRMATORY TEST FOR BROMIDE RADICAL: AgNO3 TEST
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
-
Salt solution + few drops of Pale yellow precipitate is Br is confirmed.
AgNO3 solution formed which is sparingly
soluble in excess of NH4OH
CONFIRMATORY TEST FOR NITRATE RADICAL (NO3-) 4
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
a) BROWN RING TEST NO3- is confirmed
Salt solution + equal A thin Brown ring is formed
volume of freshly at the junction of the two
prepared FeSO4 solution in solutions.
a test tube + con. H2SO4
slowly added drop wise
along the test tube inner
walls.
IDENTIFICATION OF III GROUP ACID RADICALS (ANIONS)
Group Reagent: - NIL –
TEST FOR SO42- RADICAL: BARIUM CHLORIDE (BaCl2) TEST
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
Salt solution + BaCl2 solution White precipitate of BaSO4 is
formed which is insoluble in SO42- is present.
excess of dil. HCl
CONFIRMATORY TEST FOR SULPHATE RADICAL: LEAD ACETATE TEST
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
Salt solution + Acetic acid + White precipitate of Lead
(CH3COO)2Pb solution sulphate is obtained which is SO42- is confirmed.
soluble in excess of
Ammonium acetate
3. IDENTIFICATION OF BASIC RADICALS (CATIONS)
Here, the Basic radicals are classified into seven groups, i.e.,
GROUP GROUP REAGENT GROUP RADICALS
0 ……………. NH4+
1 dil. HCl Pb2+
2 dil. HCl + H2S Cu2+, As+3
3 NH4Cl(s) + NH4OH solution Al3+, Fe3+
4 NH4Cl(s) + NH4OH solution + 5
Zn2+, Mn2+
H2S
5 NH4Cl(S) + NH4OH solution +
Ba2+, Sr2+, Ca2+
(NH4)2CO3 solution
6 ………………….. Mg2+
Note: Only the Basic radicals bolded in groups 0, 3, 4, 5 and 6 are analyzed in the laboratory.
PREPARATION OF ORIGINAL SOLUTION:
i. Original solution is the saturated solution of the given salt.
ii. In a normal test tube a stock of the Original solution is prepared by taking large amount of the
given salt in the solvent chosen in the ‘Preliminary Analysis’.
iii. Small quantities of original solution from this prepared stock solution is taken for the all the
basic radical group tests.
iv. Care should be taken to see that the Original solution is not dilute for accurate results.
IDENTIFICATION OF ZERO GROUP BASIC RADICAL (NH4+).
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
Salt + few drops of NaOH Pungent smelling NH3 gas is
solution, Heat evolved
Hold a glass rod dipped in
con. HCl to the mouth of the
Dense White fumes are
test tube NH4+ is present
formed
No Pungent smelling gas
NH4+ is absent
CONFIRMATORY TEST FOR AMMONIUM RADICAL: NESSLER’S REAGENT TEST:
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
Original solution + few drops Brown precipitate is formed NH4+ is confirmed.
of Nessler’s reagent+ few
drops of NaOH solution.
IDENTIFICATION OF I GROUP CATION 6
Group reagent: dil. HCl
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
Original solution + few drops No precipitate is formed I group cation is absent
dil. HCl
IDENTIFICATION OF II GROUP CATION
Group reagent: dil. HCl + H2S
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
Original solution + few drops No precipitate is formed II group cation is absent
dil. HCl + H2S
IDENTIFICATION OF III GROUP CATION
Group Reagent: NH4Cl(S) + NH4OH solution
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
Original solution + NH4Cl(S) + Precipitate is formed III group cation l is present
NH4OH solution
Al3+ is present
Gelatinous white precipitate
is formed
Fe3+ is present
Brown precipitate is
formed III group basic radical is
No precipitate is formed absent
CONFIRMATORY TEST Al3+ ION: NaOH TEST
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
Original solution + few drops White gelatinous precipitate
of NaOH solution is formed
Above gelatinous precipitate
Clear solution is obtained Al3+ is confirmed
+ excess of NaOH solution
Above clear solution + White gelatinous precipitate
NH4Cl(S), Warm reappears
IDENTIFICATION OF IV GROUP CATIONS 7
Group reagent: NH4Cl(S) + NH4OH solution + H2S.
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
Original solution + NH4Cl(S) + Precipitate is formed IV group cation is present.
NH4OH solution + H2S.
Buff (Flesh coloured)
Precipitate Mn2+ is present
White Precipitate Zn2+ is present
No Precipitate is formed IV group cation is absent
CONFIRMATORY TEST Zn2+ ION: NaOH TEST
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
Original solution + NaOH White precipitate is formed
solution which is soluble in excess of Zn2+ is confirmed
NaOH solution
CONFIRMATORY TEST Mn2+ ION: NaOH TEST
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
Original solution + NaOH White precipitate is formed
solution which is turns brown on Mn2+ is confirmed
exposure to air
IDENTIFICATION OF V- GROUP CATIONS:
Group reagent: NH4Cl(S) + NH4OH solution + (NH4)2CO3 solution.
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
Original solution + NH4Cl(S) + V group cation is present.
White precipitate is formed. May be Ba2+ or Sr2+ or Ca2+.
NH4OH solution + (NH4)2CO3
solution.
V group cation is absent
No precipitate is formed
TEST FOR BARIUM ION (Ba2+): K2CrO4 TEST
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
Original solution + dil. Acetic Yellow precipitate of Barium Ba2+ is present.
acid + K2CrO4 solution chromate is formed.
8
2+
FLAME TEST FOR BARIUM ION (Ba ):
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
Salt + few drops of Con. HCl
on a clean watch glass, make Apple green colour is Ba2+ is confirmed.
imparted into the flame
a paste. Hold it to the non –
luminous Bunsen flame.
TEST FOR STRONTIUM ION (Sr2+) : (NH4)2SO4 TEST
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
Original solution + White precipitate of Sr2+ is present.
Ammonium sulphate Strontium sulphate is
solution. formed.
FALME TEST FOR STRONTIUM ION (Sr2+)
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
Salt + few drops of Con. HCl
on a clean watch glass, make Crimson red colour is Sr2+ is confirmed.
imparted to the flame
a paste. Hold it to the non –
luminous Bunsen flame.
TEST FOR CALCIUM ION (Ca2+) : AMMONIUM OXALATE TEST
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
Original solution + White precipitate of Calcium Ca2+ is present.
Ammonium Oxalate solution. Oxalate is formed
FLAME TEST FOR CALCIUM ION (Ca2+):
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
Salt + few drops of Con. HCl
on a clean watch glass, make Brick red colour is imparted Ca2+ is confirmed.
to the flame
a paste. Hold it to the non –
luminous Bunsen flame.
IDENTIFICATION OF VI- GROUP CATION 9
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
Original solution + NH4Cl(S) +
White crystalline precipitate VI group cation (Mg2+) is
NH4OH solution +
is formed present and confirmed.
(NH4)3HPO4 or Na2HPO4
solution.
No precipitate is formed
VI group cation (Mg2) is
absent
Note:
A. Students are supposed to follow the exact hierarchical sequence in which the Tests are
given for the respective group radicals.
B. Semi micro test tubes are to be used for the analysis.
C. Judicious use of the laboratory reagents is recommended.
ALL THE BEST!!
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