SYSTEMATIC PROCEDURE FOR INORGANIC QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS

I. PRELIMINARY TESTS
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
1. Color of the substance a) Blue a) May be due to presence of Copper.
is noted. b)Pink b) May be due to presence of Manganese.
c)Green c) May be due to presence of Nickel.
d)Colorless d) Absence of Copper,Nickel,Manganese.

2. A little of the salt is a)A colorless gas which a) Presence of Carbonate.

heated in a dry test tube
turned lime water milky
b) A colorless gas with burnt b) Presence of Sulphide.
smell of sulphur
c) Colorless gas with pungent c) Presence of Ammonium salt.
smell. Turns Red litmus paper
blue.
d) Reddish brown vapors d) Presence of Nitrate.
turning acidified ferrous
sulphate paper brown

3. FLAME TEST:-a little of a) Blue color a) Presence of Copper

the salt is made into a
paste with one or two b) Pale green b) Presence of Barium.
drops of con.HCl in a
watch glass. A little of the c)Brick Red c) Presence of Calcium.
paste is shown in Non-
luminous flame by d)Crimson Red d) Presence of Strontium.
platinum wire
ANALYSIS OF ANIONS
The scheme of analysis of anions consists of identification and confirmatory tests. Once the presence of radical
is detected by identification tests, proceed to do the confirmatory tests of that ion.
IDENTIFICATION TESTS
1.ACTION OF Dil.HCl a)Vigorous or brisk effervescence with a) Presence of Carbonate ion is
To a little of the substance evolution of colorless, odorless gas identified.
about 1ml of dil.HCl is added b) Colorless gas with smell of rotten b) Presence of Sulphide ion is
slowly and heated. eggs. identified.
c)No characteristic observation c) Absence of carbonate &
sulphide.
2. ACTION OF Dil.H2SO4 a)smell of vinegar b) Presence of acetate ion is
a little of the substance is identified.
rubbed with Dil. H2SO4 in a b)No characteristic observation b)Absence of accetate
watch glass
3.Action of Con. H2SO4 a) Reddish brown vapors turning moist a) Anion may be bromide ion is
To a small amount of given fluorescent paper red. identified.
salt taken in a dry test tube, b) Colorless gas with pungent smell giving
 add 2-3 ml of Con. H2SO4 and dense white fumes with a glass rod b) Anion may be chloride ion is
gently warmed. dipped in NH4OH solution is shown in the identified .
mouth of test tube.
c) Violet coloured vapors turning starch c)Anion may be Iodide ion is
paper blue or violet. identified.
d) No characteristic observation d) Absence of bromide,
chloride,iodide
4. To a small amount of
given salt taken in a dry test
tube, add 2-3 ml of Con. a) Reddish brown vapours turning a)Presence of Nitrate is identified.
H2SO4 and heated strongly. acidified ferrous sulphate paper brown.
To boiling solution add
paper ball or Copper tunings b) No characteristic observation b)Absence of Nitrate .
is added.

5. Action of Barium chloride

To the little of salt solution a a)A white precipitate insoluable in dil.HCl a)Presence of sulphate is identified
little of barium chloride is formed.
solution is added. b) No characteristic observation b)Absence of Sulphate .

CONFIRMATORY TEST FOR ACID RADICALS(ANIONS)

1. Carbonate a) CO2 gas is a)Presence of
a)A little of the substance is treated with dil. H2SO4 evolved with brisk Carbonate is
effervescence confirmed
which turn lime
water milky. On
passing the gas for
b)To a little of salt solution Magnesium sulphate solution is added some time, b)Presence of
milkiness Carbonate
disappears.

b) A white
precipitate is
obtained

2. Chloride
a) To a little of salt solution, a few drops of dil.HNO3 and silver nitrate are a)White curdy a)Presence of
added. precipitate Chloride is
soluable in confirmed
excess of NH4OH
b)A little of salt is heated with con. H2SO4 and pinch of MnO2
b) Chloride is
b)A greenish confirmed.
yellow gas with
pungent smell

3.BROMIDE
a)To a little of salt solution, a few drops of dil.HNO3 and silver nitrate are a)pale yellow a)Presence of
added. precipitate Bromide
b) b)A little of salt is heated with con. H2SO4 and pinch of MnO2 partially soluable
in NH4OH is b)Bromide is
formed. confirmed
b)Reddish brown
vapours which
turned starch
paper yellow
when shown on
the mouth of the
test tube

4. Accetate a)A deep red a)Presence of

a)To a little of salt solution, one or two drops of neutral ferric chloride colour appears, acetate is
solution is added. which confirmed.
disappears on
boiling and a
brown-red
precipitate is
obtained.

b)A mixture of salt and ethanol is heated with a little con. H2SO4 in a dry test
b)pleasant fruity b)Accetate is
tube. It is poured into excess of water
smell confirmed

a)A brown ring is

formed at the
junction of the
acid and a)Presence of
5. Nitrate
aqueous nitrate ion is
BROWN RING TEST:-To a little of salt solution, equal volume of freshly
solution. confirmed.
prepared ferrous sulphate solution is added and shaken well. To this con.
H2SO4 is carefully added alon sides of test tube
 b)Nitrate is
confirmed.

b)A deep blue c)Nitrate is

coloration is confirmed.
obtained.

c)Smell of
b)to a little of salt solution, a few drops of diphenyl amine is added ammonia giving
c)A little of salt solution is heated with NAOH solution and aluminum powder. dense white
fumes with a
glass rod dipped
5. Sulphate
in con.HCl.
a)To a little of salt solution, a little Brium Chloride is added.

a)A white
precipitate
soluable in
b) A little of the solution is treated with lead acetate solution. ammonium a)presence of
acetate is sulphate is
formed. confirmed.

b)A white b)sulphate ion

precipitate is is confirmed
obtained.

ANALYSIS OF CATIONS
A solution of the given salt in water is prepared and following tests are conducted in the order given below.
When a group is identified then do the confirmatory tests for the cations present in the particular group.
GROUP IDENTIFICATION TESTS
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
1.to a little of salt solution Na2CO3 solution is a)No precipitate a)presence of group 0(NH4+)
added b)A precipitate b)absence of group 0(NH4+)

2.To a little of salt solution dil.HCl is added a)A white precipitate a)presence of group I(Pb2+)
b)No white precipitate a) absence of group I(Pb2+)

3. To a little of salt solution dil HCl is added and a)Black precipitate a) presence of group II(Cu2+)
H2S gas is passed b) No precipitate b) absence of group I(Cu2+)
4. To a little of salt solution little excess NH4Cl a)A white precipitate a)presence of group III(Al3+)
and NH4OH is added b)No precipitate b)absence of group III(Al3+)
5) To a little of salt solution little excess NH4Cl a)A precipitate a) presence of group IV
and NH4OH is added and H2S gas is passed. b)A white precipitate b) Presence of Zn2+
c)Black precipitate c) Presence of Ni2+
d)No precipitate d) absence of group IV

6)To a little of salt solution NH4Cl, NH4OH, a)A white precipitate a) presence of group V(Ba2+,Ca2+)
(NH4) 2CO3 is added. b)No white precipitate b) absence of group V(Ba2+ Ca2+)

7)To a little of salt solution, NH4Cl, NH4OH, a)A crystalline a)presence of group VI(Mg2+
Na2HPO4 are added. precipitate b)absence of group VI(Mg2+
b)No precipitate
CONFIRMATORY TESTS FOR CATIONS
I. TESTS FOR ZERO GROUP
a)To the aqueous solution of the salt a little of NaOH solution is added a)Colourless gas with a)Presence of
smell of ammonia Ammonia is
producing dense white confirmed.
fumes with dil HCl

b)To a little of salt solution, Nessler’s reagent is added b)Ammonia is

confirmed
b)A brown precipitate

II. TESTS FOR GROUP I

a)To a little of salt solution, potassium iodide solution, is added a)Yellow precipitate a) Presence of Pb2+ is
soluable in hot water, confirmed.
but reappears as
golden sprangles on
b)To alittle of salt solution, acetic acid and potassium chromate is cooling. c) Presence of Pb2+ is
added. b) Yellow precipitate confirmed.

III. TESTS FOR GROUP II

a) To a little of salt solution, NH4OH is added drop by drop till in excess a) A blue precipitatea) Presence of Cu2+
soluable in excess ofion is confirmed.
NH4OH giving a deep
blue solution.

b)To a little of salt solution, a little

acetic acid and potassium
ferrocyanide solutions are added
 b)Chocalate brown b)Cu2+ is confirmed
precipitate

IV. TESTS FOR GROUP III

a) Dissolve the precipitate in dil.HCl. a)a blue floating a) Presence of Al3+
Add blue litmus solution and then ammonium hydroxide solution drop bymass in the confirmed.
drop along the sides of test tube colourless solution

b)A white
gelatinous
precipitate soluable
in excess of NaOH.
b) Presence of Al3+
b)NaOH solution is added drop by drop to the salt solution till in excess
confirmed.
c)ASH TEST: To a little salt solution, add dilute HNO3 and heat. Add 2 to 3
c)Blue ash is
drops of cobalt nitrate solution, dip a filter paper in this solution. Dry this
obtained. c)Presence of Al3+
filter paper and burn to ashes.
confirmed.

V. TESTS FOR GROUP IV

a) Dissolve the precipitate in dil.HCl by boiling. Neutralize the solution witha)a bluish white a)Presence of Zn2+ is
NH4OH solution and add potassium ferrocyanide solution precipitate confirmed

b)white precipitate b) Presence of Zn2+ is

b)NaOH solution is added drop by drop to salt solution till excess
soluable in confirmed
excess of NaOH.

c)Ash test is conducted.(See procedure given for Aluminium) c)Green ash is c)Prsence of zinc
obtained. confirmed.

a)Dissolve the precipitate in aquaregia. Heat the solution to dryness and

cool. Dissolve the residue in water. Add NH4OH solution to make it alkaline.a)A bright red Presence of Nickel is
Add dimethyl glyoxime and shake well precipitate confirmed.
 VI. TESTS FOR GROUP V
a)To a little of salt solution, i)Yellow precipitatei)Presence of Ba2+ is
little acetic acid and potassium chromate solution is added ii)No yellow confirmed.
precipitate ii)Presence of Ca2+
ions

A white precipitate
b)To a little of salt solution NH4OH and ammonium oxalate solution is added presence of Ca2+ is
confirmed
A white
precipitate is
obtained c)Presence of
c)To a liitle of the group 5 soution, add ammonium sulphate.
strontium is
i)Green flame confirmed.
ii)Brick red
coloured flame i)Presence of Ba2+ is
iii)Crimson red confirmed.
d)FLAME TEST-- a little of the salt is made into a paste with con.HCl in a flame ii)Presence of Ca2+ is
watch glass . A little of the paste is shown in Non-luminous flame confirmed
iii) Presence of
strontium confirmed

VII. TESTS FOR GROUP VI

a)To a little of salt solution, add magneson reagent and excess of NaOH a)Blue precipitate Presence of Mg2+ is
solution. confirmed.
b)To salt solution, add NH4OH followed by disodium hydrogen phosphate b)white precipitate
solution. It is heated and scratched the sides of test tube Presence of Mg2+ is
confirmed

Presence of
c)Ash test is conducted.(See procedure In case of Aluminium) c)pink ash magnesium
confirmed.