SN Kansagra School

ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
Academic Year 2014 – 2015

SYLLABUS
On solution of salts:
 Colour :- of salts and its solution;
 Action on addition of Sodium hydroxide- to a solution of Ca,Fe,Cu,Zn and
Pb salts drop by drop to excess.
 Formation and colour of hydroxide precipitated to be highlighted with the
help of equation
 Action of addition of Ammonium hydroxide - to a solution of Ca,Fe,Cu,Zn
and Pb salts drop by drop to excess. Formation and colour of hydroxide
precipitated to be highlighted with the help of equation
 Special action of ammonium hydroxide on solutions of copper salt and
sodium hydroxide on ammonium salts

Introduction :-
Analytical chemistry is a branch of science which deals with study of qualitative and
quantitative aspect of chemistry. Qualitative aspect of analytical chemistry includes
the identification of unknown ion present in a given salt by use of some chemical test
like by using chemicals like Sodium and Ammonium hydroxide which will form
precipitate and can be identified by using solubility and colour.

Colour of salts :-
A Salt will have a colour if cation or anion of the salt will have colour. Generally the
salts formed by the elements belonging to Group 1st ,2nd ,13th and 17th are colourless
where as belonging to groups 3rd to 12th group are coloured [These element is known
as Transition elements]
The following table will give us an idea about the colour of the salt produced by
various ions
COLOURED CATIONS
Cation Group Number Colour of the salt formed
+2 th
Cu 11 Blue/Green
+3 th
Cr 6 Green
+2 th
Mn 7 Pink
+2 th
Fe 8 Green
+3 th
Fe 8 Yellow/Brown
+2 th
Co 9 Blue
+2 th
Ni 10 Green
 COLOURLESS CATIONS
Cation Group number Cation Group number
st
Na+1 1 Al+3 13th
K+1 1st Sn+2 14th
Mg+2 2nd Pb+2 14th
Ca+2 2nd Zn+2 12th
Ba+2 2nd Cd+2 12th
Hg+2 12th NH4+1 -----------

ANIONS
COLOURED ANION COLOUR COLORLESS ANION
Permanganate Pink /Purple Sulphite[SO3-2] Bisulphite[HSO3-1]
MnO4-1 Sulphate[SO4-2] Bisulphate[HSO4-1]
Dichromate Orange Carbonate[CO3-2] Bicarbonate[HCO3-2]
Cr2O7-2 Chloride[Cl-1] Oxide[O-2]
Bromide [Br-1] Sulphide[S-2]
Nitrate [NO3-1] Phosphate[PO4-3]

ACTION OF SODIUM HYDROXIDE

ON
SOLUTIONS OF SALTS
Ion Calcium [Ca+2]
Salt Calcium nitrate
Precipitate formed Calcium hydroxide
Colour of precipitate White
Solubility in excess of Sodium hydroxide Slightly soluble
Reaction:- Ca(NO3)2 + 2NaOH Ca(OH)2 +2NaNO3

Ion Iron [Fe+2]

Salt Ferrous sulphate
Precipitate formed Ferrous hydroxide/Iron(II)hydroxide
Colour of precipitate Dirty green
Solubility in excess of Sodium hydroxide Insoluble
Reaction:- FeSO4 + 2NaOH Fe(OH)2 +Na2SO4
Ion Iron [Fe+3]
Salt Ferric chloride
Precipitate formed Ferric hydroxide/Iron(III )hydroxide
Colour of precipitate Reddish brown
Solubility in excess of Sodium hydroxide Insoluble
Reaction:- FeCl3 + 3NaOH Fe(OH)3 +3NaCl

Ion Copper [Cu+2]

Salt Copper(II) sulphate
Precipitate formed Cupric hydroxide/Copper(II)sulphate
Colour of precipitate Pale blue
Solubility in excess of Sodium hydroxide Insoluble
Reaction:- CuSO4 + 2NaOH Cu(OH)2 +Na2SO4

Ion Zinc [Zn+2]

Salt Zinc sulphate
Precipitate formed Zinc hydroxide
Colour of precipitate White gelatinous
Solubility in excess of Sodium hydroxide Soluble [Sodium Zincate]
Reaction:- ZnSO4 + 2NaOH Zn(OH)2 +Na2SO4
Zn(OH)2 +2NaOH Na2ZnO2 +2H2O
[Soluble (colourless ]

Ion Lead [Pb+2]

Salt Lead nitrate
Precipitate formed Lead hydroxide
Colour of precipitate Chalky White
Solubility in excess of Sodium hydroxide Soluble [Sodium plumbate]
Reaction:- Pb(NO3)2 + 2NaOH Pb(OH)2 +NaNO3
Pb(OH)2 +2NaOH Na2PbO2 +2H2O
[Soluble (colourless ]

NOTE:-
Sodium hydroxide solution cannot be used to distinguish between Lead (Pb+2) ion
and Zinc (Zn+2) ions, As both of them on reaction with excess of sodium hydroxide forms
colourless soluble salts.
 ACTION OF AMMONIUM HYDROXIDE
ON
SOLUTIONS OF SALTS
Ion Calcium(Ca+2)
No precipitate formation takes place even after addition of excess of Ammonium
hydroxide solution as the concentration of hydroxyl ion produced due to ionisation of
Ammonium hydroxide is very low to precipitate the hydroxide of calcium as calcium
hydroxide[Ca(OH)2]

Ion Iron [Fe+2]

Salt Ferrous sulphate
Precipitate formed Ferrous hydroxide/Iron(II)hydroxide
Colour of precipitate Dirty green
Solubility in excess of Ammonium hydroxide Insoluble
Reaction:- FeSO4 + 2NH4OH Fe(OH)2 +(NH4)2SO4

Ion Iron [Fe+3]

Salt Ferric chloride
Precipitate formed Ferric hydroxide/Iron(III )hydroxide
Colour of precipitate Reddish brown
Solubility in excess of Ammonium hydroxide Insoluble
Reaction:- FeCl3 + 3NH4OH Fe(OH)3 +3NH4Cl

Ion Copper [Cu+2]

Salt Copper(II) sulphate
Precipitate formed Cupric hydroxide/Copper(II)sulphate
Colour of precipitate Pale blue
Solubility in excess of Ammonium hydroxide
Soluble [Cu(NH3)4]SO4
[Tetrammine Copper(II)sulphate]
Reaction:- CuSO4 + 2NaOH Cu(OH)2 +Na2SO4
Cu(OH)2+(NH4)2SO4 +2NH4OH [Cu(NH3)4]SO4 +4H2O
[ Deep blue solution]
Ion Zinc [Zn+2]
Salt Zinc sulphate
Precipitate formed Zinc hydroxide
Colour of precipitate White gelatinous
Solubility in excess of Ammonium hydroxide
Soluble [Zn(NH3)4]SO4
[TetrammineZinc(II)sulphate]
Reaction:- ZnSO4 + 2NH4OH Zn(OH)2 +(NH4)2SO4
Zn(OH)2 +(NH4)2SO4 + 2NH4OH [Zn(NH3)4]SO4 +4H2O
[Soluble (colourless) ]

Ion Lead [Pb+2]

Salt Lead nitrate
Precipitate formed Lead hydroxide
Colour of precipitate Chalky White
Solubility in excess of Ammonium hydroxide Insoluble]
Reaction:- Pb(NO3)2 + 2NH4OH Pb(OH)2 +2NH4NO3

NOTE :-
Ammonium hydroxide solution can be used to distinguish between Lead (Pb+2) ion
and Zinc (Zn+2) ions, As zinc ions (Zn+2) on addition with small amount of
ammonium hydroxide[NH4OH] forms gelatinous white precipitate of Zinc
hydroxide [Zn(OH)2] which dissolves in excess of Ammonium hydroxide to from a
complex salt Tetra-amine zinc (II)sulphate [Zn(NH3)4]SO4].soit forms colourless
solution.
Whereas Lead ions [Pb+2] on addition with small amount of ammonium hydroxide
[NH4OH] forms a white precipitate of Lead hydroxide [Pb(OH)2] which is insoluble
in excess of ammonium hydroxide