SCHEME FOR QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS

1. Preliminary Examination
Experiment Observation Inference
a) Colour White salt Absence of Ni2+, Cu2+, Fe3+, Mn2+, Co3+

b) Appearance a) Crystalline salt a) SO2− -

4 or Cl may be present

b) Amorphous salt b) CO2−

3 may be present

c) Odour a) Ammoniacal smell a) Presence of NH4+

b) Rotten egg smell b) Presence of S2-

c) Vinegar like smell c) Presence of CH3COO-

d) No characteristic smell d) Absence of NH4+ , S2- and CH3COO-

2. Detection of Anion

Experiment Observation Inference

a) Action of dil.H2SO4 on salt a) Brisk effervescence a) CO2−
3 may be present
solution.
b) No brisk effervescence b) Absence of CO2−
3

b) Action of conc.H2SO4 on a) Colourless pungent gas a) Cl- may be present

salt solution
b) Violet vapours b) I- may be present

c) Vinegar like smell c) CH3COO- may be present

d) Brown fumes getting intense d) NO−

3 may be present
on adding paper ball.

e) No characteristic observation e) Presence of independent

anion like SO2− 3−
4 or PO4
 b) Chloride ion (Cl-)

Experiment Observation Inference

a) Salt solution is added with dil. HNO3. To this White ppt. formed Presence of
mixture, AgNO3 solution is added Cl- confirmed

b) To a little of salt, K2Cr2O7 followed by conc.

H2SO4 is added. Content is heated. Evolving Yellow ppt. formed Presence of
gas is passed through NaOH solution. To this Cl- confirmed
solution acetic acid and lead acetate is added.

c) Nitrate ion (𝐍𝐎𝟑− )

Experiment Observation Inference

a) To a little of salt conc. H2SO4 is added followed Brown fumes Presence of
by a small piece of paper ball getting intense NO−3 confirmed

b) To a little of salt solution freshly prepared Brown ring formed Presence of

FeSO4 is added. To this mixture conc. H2SO4 at junction of two NO−3 confirmed
is added carefully along sides of test tube. liquids

d) Sulphate ion (𝐒𝐎𝟐−

𝟒 )

Experiment Observation Inference

a) To a little of salt solution dil. HCl and BaCl2 White ppt. formed Presence of SO2−
4
solution is added. confirmed

b) To a little of salt solution lead acetate White ppt. formed Presence of SO2−
4
solution is added. confirmed

4. Detection of Cation
Experiment Observation Inference
a) To a little of salt solution dil. a) Ammoniacal smelling gas a) NH4+ may be present
NaOH is added and heated
b) No Ammoniacal smelling b) Absence of NH4+
gas

b) To a little of salt solution dil. a) White ppt. a) Pb2+ may be present

HCl is added
b) No white ppt. b) Absence of Pb2+

c) To a little of salt solution dil. No black ppt Absence of Cu2+

HCl followed by H2S gas is
passed.
 d) To a little of salt solution a) White gelatinous ppt. a) Al3+ may be present
solid NH4Cl and excess of
NH4OH is added b) No white gelatinous ppt. b) Absence of Al3+

e) To a little of salt solution a) White ppt. a) Zn2+ may be present

solid NH4Cl, NH4OH is
added. To this H2S gas is b) No white ppt. b) Absence of Zn2+
passed.

f) To a little of salt solution a) White ppt. a) Ba2+ or Ca2+ may be

solid NH4Cl, NH4OH and present
excess of (NH4)2CO3 is
added. b) No white ppt. b) Absence of Ba2+ and
Ca2+ and presence of
Mg2+

5. Confirmation of cation ( )

a) Ammonium ion (𝐍𝐇𝟒+ )

Experiment Observation Inference

a) Salt is added with dil. NaOH and Ammoniacal smelling gas Presence of NH4+
heated confirmed

b) Salt is added with dil. NaOH, to Reddish brown ppt. formed Presence of NH4+
this solution Nessler’s reagent is confirmed
added.

b) Lead ion (Pb2+)

Experiment Observation Inference

a) Salt solution is added with KI Yellow ppt. formed Presence of Pb2+ confirmed
solution

b) Salt solution is added with acetic Yellow ppt. formed Presence of Pb2+ confirmed
acid and K2CrO4

c) Aluminium ion (Al3+)

Experiment Observation Inference

a) Precipitate received in detection is Blue ppt. floating over Presence of Al3+
dissolved in dil. HCl. To this, few drops of liquid confirmed
blue litmus solution is added. To this
mixture, NH4OH is added dropwise.

b) Salt solution is added with cobalt nitrate Blue tinted ash Presence of Al3+
solution and ash test was conducted. confirmed
 d) Zinc ion (Zn2+)

Experiment Observation Inference

a) Salt solution is added with potassium White or bluish white ppt. Presence of Zn2+
ferrocyanide solution. formed confirmed

b) Salt solution is added with cobalt Greenish ash formed Presence of Zn2+
nitrate solution and ash test was confirmed
conducted.

e) Barium ion (Ba2+)

Experiment Observation Inference

a) Salt solution is made into paste with Green flame was Presence of Ba2+
conc. HCl and flame test was observed confirmed
conducted.

b) Salt solution is added with acetic acid Yellow ppt. formed Presence of Ba2+
and K2CrO4 confirmed

f) Calcium ion (Ca2+)

Experiment Observation Inference

a) Salt solution is made into paste with Brick red flame was Presence of Ca2+
conc. HCl and flame test was observed confirmed
conducted.

b) Salt solution is added with acetic acid Yellow solution formed Presence of Ca2+
and K2CrO4 confirmed

g) Magnesium ion (Mg2+)

Experiment Observation Inference

a) To a little of salt solution solid NH4Cl White ppt. formed Presence of Mg2+
and excess of NH4OH is added. To confirmed
this mixture ammonium phosphate is
added and inner side of test tube is
rubbed with glass rod
b) Salt solution is added with cobalt Pink ash formed Presence of Mg2+
nitrate solution and ash test was confirmed
conducted.

6. Result
The given salt contains ________ as basic radical and _________ as acidic radical.