Analysis of a Simple Salt- Ammonium Carbonate

Aim: To analyse the given simple salt and to report the cation and anion with a systemic procedure.
Apparatus required: Test tubes, Boiling tubes, test tube stand, watch glass, spatula, and the required
chemicals.

S.No Experiment Observation Inference

Prelimiary tests:
1 Colour White Absence of coloured salts
like Cu2+, Fe2+or Fe3+
2 Odour/ Smell Ammoniacal Smell Presence of NH4+ cation
3 Density Light CO32- may be present
3 Flame Test: Salt + Conc. HCl No characteristic-coloured Absence of Ca2+ and Cu2+
→ made into a thin paste and flame
introduced into the flame.
4 Dilute H2SO4 test: A small Evolution of gas which turns Presence of CO32-
amount of salt + 2ml of dil. lime water milky
H2SO4.
5 Conc. H2SO4 test: A small Evolution of gas which turns Presence of CO32-
amount of salt + 2 drops of lime water milky
Conc.H2SO4.
Analysis of anion
6 Barium chloride test: No Characteristic observation Absence of SO42-
Salt + dil. HCl + BaCl2 solution.
7 Copper turnings test: No Characteristic observation Absence of NO3-
Salt + few copper turnings + 2
drops of Conc.H2SO4 and
heated.
8 Silver Nitrate test No Characteristic observation Absence of Cl-
Salt + Dil.HNO3 + AgNO3
9 Confirmatory test for Carbonate:
(i) Dil.H2SO4 test Brisk effervescence with the Presence of CO32- is
Salt + Dil.H2SO4 evolution of CO2 which turns confirmed
lime water milky
(ii) Salt + BaCl2 solution. White precipitate of BaCO3 Presence of CO32- is
soluble in Dil.HCl confirmed
The given anion is Carbonate
Analysis of Cation
Inter group separation
10.Preparation of original solution: Original Solution is prepared by dissolving salt in water
Original solution + Nessler’s Red Brown precipitate Presence of zero group
reagent cation
11. Confirmatory Test for Ammonium Cation
Salt + NaOH Colourless gas which gives Presence of NH4+ is
dense white fumes with Conc. confirmed
HCl
Salt + NaOH+ Nessler’s reagent Red Brown precipitate Presence of NH4+ is
confirmed
The given cation is Ammonium
The given salt contains Ammonium as Cation and Carbonate as anion