DELHI PUBLIC SCHOOL S ES S I O N 2 0 2 1 - 2 2

CHEMISTRY

INORGANIC SALT ANALYSIS

PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS
S.N. Experiment Observations Inference
1. Colour • Blue/Bluish green • Cu2+ or Ni2+
• Greenish • Ni2+
• Light green • Fe2+
• Dark brown • Fe3+
• Light pink • Mn2+
• White • Absence of Cu2+ , Fe3+, Mn2+, Ni2+
2. Solubility • Soluble in cold water. • NH4+, nitrates, chloride except that of
lead, most of the sulphate except Pb, Ca
• Soluble in hot water • Lead nitrate.
• Soluble in dil HCl • Carbonates of Ca, Ba, Sr, Zn, Cu etc.
3. Dry heating • Colourless gas turning lime water milky • CO32-
Take a pinch • Colourless gas with the smell of rotten eggs. • S2-
of the salt in a
• Pungent smelling gas and white fumes with NH3 . • Cl −
dry test tube
and heat it
• Gas with the small of NH3 turning Nesslers’ Reagent Brown. • NH4+
over flame. • Reddish brown gas turning Ferrous sulphate solution black. • NO3-
• Reddish brown gas which doesn’t turn Ferrous sulphate solution black. • Br-
• Residue - Yellow when hot and white when cold. • Zn2+
• Brown when hot and yellow when cold. • Pb2+

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S.N. Experiment Observations Inference
6. Flame Test • Brick Red • Ca2+
Make a paste of the salt with Con. HCl • Crimson Red • Sr2+
and introduce it to the non-luminous part • Persistent grassy green • Ba2+
of the flame using platinum wire. Note the
• Green flashes • Zn2+/Mn2+
colour of the flame.
• Dull bluish white • Pb2+
• Bluish green • copper

SYSTEMATIC TEST FOR ACID RADICALS

S.N. Experiment Observations Inference

1. To a pinch of the salt add dil H2SO4 Colourless gas with brisk effervescence turning lime water milky CO32-
CaCO3+H2SO4 → CaSO4+H2O+CO2 

2. A pinch of the salt add conc. H2SO4 & Colourless pungent smelling gas, white fumes with NH3. Cl-
warm. NaCl+H2SO4→NaHSO4+HCl

Reddish brown gas which do not turn FeSO4 Solution black. Br-
NaBr+H2SO4 → NaHSO4+HBr
H2SO4+2HBr→SO2+Br2+2H2O

Reddish brown gas on adding paper pellet.

NO 3−
NaNO3+H2SO4→NaHSO4+HNO3
4HNO3+C → 4H2O+4NO2  + CO2 

3. Test for sulphate White precipitate insoluble in concentrated HCl SO42- confirmed
Boil a small amount of salt with dil. HCl Na2SO4+BaCl2 → BaSO4+2NaCl
on a test tube add few drops of BaCl2 (white ppt.)
4. Test for phosphate Yellow precipitate due to formation of PO43- confirmed
To the salt add Con. HNO3 boil and add (NH4)3 PO4 . 12M0O3 . 6H2O
excess of ammonium molybdate solution. (Ammonium phosphate molybdate)
(NH4)2 M0O4

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CONFIRMATION TEST OF ACID RADICALS (WET TEST)

S.N. Experiment Observations Inference

1. Test for carbonate Brisk evolution of CO2 which turns lime water milky. CO32- confirmed
To the salt solution add dil. HCl. CaCO3+2HCl→CaCl2+CO2+H2O
Ca(OH)2+CO2→CaCO3+H2O

2. Test for Chloride White precipitate soluble* in conc. NH4OH Cl- confirmed
Acidify aq. Solution with dil. HNO3 boil, NaCl+AgNO3→AgCl+NaNO3
cool and add AgNO3 solution. AgCl+NH4O → [Ag(NH3)] Cl+2H2O

3. Test for Bromide Light yellow precipitate partially soluble in conc. NH4OH Br − confirmed
Acidify a portion of aq. Solution with dil. KBr + AgNO3 → KNO3 + AgBr
HNO3. Boil, cool and add AgNo3 solution (Yellow precipitate )

4. Test for Nitrate (Brown Ring Test) A dark brown ring is formed at the junction of the layers of the acid & NO 3− cofirmed
To the aqueous salt solution add freshly the solution.
prepared FeSO4 solution. Allow the KNO3+H2SO4→KHSO4+HNO3
precipitate to settle down. Transfer the 6FeSO4+3H2SO4+2HNO3→3Fe2(SO4)3+4H2O+2NO
clear solution to another test tube and add FeSO4+NO+5H2O → [FeNO(H2O)5 ]SO 4
con. H2SO4 through the walls of the test (Brown ring )
tube.

SYSTEMATIC TEST FOR BASIC RADICALS (WET TEST)

ANALYSIS OF GROUP O (NH4+)

S.N. Experiment Observations Inference

(a) To a little of salt add NaOH & warm, take A gas with a smell of ammonia which gives white fumes with a rod NH 4+
2-3 drops of Nesslers’ reagent K2[HgI4] on dipped in HCl
filter paper strip and keep it near the NH4Cl+NaOH→NH3+NaCl+H2O
mouth of the test tube. NH3+HCl→NH4Cl (dense white )
A brown colouration of I-Hg-O-Hg-NH2 is formed on paper strip. NH4+ confirmed.

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ANALYSIS OF GROUP I to V

Group Group reagent Experiment Inference

No.
I Dil HCl To the salt solution add dil. HCl White ppt.
(Group I) Pb2+

II H2S Pass H2S gas to the acidified solution of the salt. Ppt.
(in acid medium) (Group II) Black : Cu2+

III NH4OH +NH4Cl Add solid ammonium chloride to the salt solution. Boil again, cool Reddish brown ppt. - Fe3+
and add ammonium hydroxide until the solution becomes basic. White ppt. – Al3+

IV H2S Add more of solid NH4Cl and then NH4OH to the salt solution Ppt.
(in basic medium) and pass H2S gas. (Group IV) Dirty white : - Zn2+

V NH4Cl +NH4OH Add NH4Cl and NH4OH and (NH4)2CO3 solution to the salt White ppt.
+(NH4)2CO3 solution. Warm and allow standing. (Group V) - Ba2+, Sr2+, Ca2+

ANALYSIS OF GROUP I (Pb2+)

The white precipitate obtained from Group I is boiled with water and divide into 2 parts.
S.N. Experiment Observations Inference
(a) To one part add KI Yellow precipitate Pb2+ confirmed.
PbCl2 + 2KI → PbI 2 + 2KCl
(Yellow Pr ecipitate)

(b) To another part add Yellow precipitate Pb2+confirmed.

potassium chromate PbCl2 + K2CrO4 → PbCrO4 + 2Ka
(Yellow Pr ecipitate)

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ANALYSIS OF GROUP II (Cu2+)

Heat the black precipitate with 50% HNO3 adds NH4OH in excess. If blue coloured solution is obtained it may be
Cu2+.

S.N. Experiment Observations Inference

(a) To one part of blue solution add acetic and potassium A chocolate brown precipitate is formed. Cu2+ confirmed.
Ferro-cyanide solution. K 4 Fe(CN )6  Cu2 Fe(CN )6 

ANALYSIS OF GROUP III (Fe3+, Al3+)

If reddish brown precipitate is obtained, it indicates presence of Fe 3+ and if colour is white, indicates presence of Al3+.

S.N. Experiment Observations Inference

(a) Dissolve the reddish brown precipitate in dilute HCl and add Prussian blue colour Fe3+ confirmed.
Potassium Ferro-cyanide solution Fe(OH)3+3HCl→FeCl3+3H2O
4FeCl3+3K4[Fe(CN)6]→ 12KCl + Fe4[Fe(CN)6]3
Ferric Ferro Cyanide (Prussian blue)

(b) (i) Dissolve the white ppt. in HCl acid and add two drops of Blue ppt. floating in the colourless solution Al3+ confirmed.
blue litmus solution to this add NH4OH drop-wise till blue
colour develops.

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ANALYSIS OF GROUP IV (Zn2+)

S.N. Experiment Observations Inference

(a) Test forZn2+ Bluish white precipitate formed. Zn2+confirmed.
Dissolve the dirty white precipitate in dilute HCl and boil 2ZnCl2 + K 4 Fe(CN )6 → Zn2 Fe(Cn)6  + 4KCl
H2S and added Potassium Ferro-cyanide solution. Bluish white precipitate.

ANALYSIS OF GROUP V (Ca2+, Ba2+, Sr2+)

Dissolve the precipitate of Group-V in dilute acetic acid.

S.N. Experiment Observations Inference

(a) Test for Ba2+ Yellow precipitate Ba2+ confirmed.
To one part of solution add Potassium chromate. BaCO3+2CH3COOH→(CH3COO)2 Ba+CO2+H2O
(CH3COO)2Ba+K2CrO4→ 2CH3COOK+BaCrO4 (yellow ppt.)

(b) Test for Sr2+ White precipitate Sr2+ confirmed.

To another part add Ammonia sulphate SrCO3+2CH3COOH→(CH3COO)2 Sr+CO2+H2O
(CH3COO)Sr2+(NH4)2SO4→2CH3COONH4+SrSO4

(c) Test for Ca2+ White precipitate Ca2+ confirmed.

To the part add Ammonia oxalate solution CaCO3+2CH3COOH→(CH3COO)2Ca+CO2+H2O
(CH3OO)2Ca + (NH4) C2O4 → 2CH3COONH4 + CaC2O4

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