PRACTICAL 1

A: DETERMINING ANION IN A COMPOUND

Aim

To test the presence of anions

Material

 Sodium carbonate, Na2CO3 solution

 Sodium chloride, NaCl solution
 Sodium sulphate, Na2SO4 solution
 Sodium nitrate, NaNO3 solution
 Dilute Hydrochloric acid, HCl
 Dilute Nitric acid, HNO3
 Silver Nitrate, AgNO3 solution
 Barium chloride, BaCl2 solution
 Lead (II) Nitrate, Pb(NO3)2 solution
 Iron (II) sulphate , FeSO4 solution
 Dilute and concentrated sulphuric acid, H2SO4
 Lime water

Apparatus

 Test tube
 Dropper
 Delivery tube with stopper

Procedure

1. This activity is carried out to test the presence of anions as in Table 1 below.
2. Observations and inferences are recorded in the same table.

No Activity Observation Inference

1. Carbonate ion (CO32- ) test

 About 2 cm3 of sodium carbonate,

Na2CO3 solution is poured into a
test tube.
 A little dilute hydrochloric acid, HCl
is added.
 Gas produced is passed through
lime water.
2. Sulphate ion, SO42- test

 About 2 cm3 of sodium sulphate,

Na2SO4 solution is poured into a
test tube

1
  Dilute hydrochloric acid, HCl is
added in excess
 A little bit of barium chloride , BaCl2
solution is added
 The activity is repeated using dilute
nitric acid, HNO3, followed by
lead(II)nitrate, Pb(NO3)2 solution.

3. Chloride ion, Cl- test

 About 2 cm3 of sodium chloride,

NaCl solution is poured into a test
tube.
 Dilute nitric acid, HNO3 is added
until in excess
 A little bit of silver nitrate , AgNO3
solution is added
 The activity is repeated using dilute
nitric acid, HNO3, followed by
lead(II)nitrate, Pb(NO3)2 solution.
 The mixture is heated

4. Nitrate ion, NO3- test (Brown ring test)

 About 2 cm3 of sodium nitrate,

NaNO3 solution is poured into a
test tube
 About 2 cm3 of dilute sulphuric
acid, H2SO4 followed by about 2
cm3 of iron(II)sulphate, FeSO4
solution is added.
 Several drops of concentrated
sulphuric acid, H2SO4 are added
slowly into the solution (slant the
test tube and do not shake).
 The activity is repeated using dilute
nitric acid, HNO3, followed by
lead(II)nitrate, Pb(NO3)2 solution.

Table 1

2
B: DETERMINING CATI0N IN A COMPOUND

Aim

To perform tests to identify the presence of cations

Material

 Magnesium chloride, MgCl2 solution

 Calcium nitrate, Ca(NO3)2 solution
 Zinc sulphate, ZnSO4 solution
 Aluminium nitrate, Al(NO3)2 solution
 Lead(II)nitrate, Pb(NO3)2 solution
 Copper(II)sulphate, CuSO4 solution
 Iron(II) nitrate, Fe(NO3)2 solution
 Iron(III)chloride, FeCl3 solution
 Ammonium nitrate, NH4NO3 solution
 Sodium hydroxide, NaOH solution
 Ammonium solution, NH3(aq)

Apparatus

Test tube, red litmus paper

Procedure

1. About 1 cm3 of magnesium chloride, MgCl2 solution is poured into a test tube
2. Sodium hydroxide, NaOH solution is added drop by drop until the excess while
shaking it.
3. Obseration is recorded on whether precipitates form, the colour of precepitates,
and the solubility of the precipitates in excess sodium hydroxide, NaOH solution.
4. The activity is repeated using an aqueous cation solution as listed in Table 2.
5. For ammonium nitrate, NH4NO3, solution, a mixture with sodium hydroxide, NaOH
solution is heated slowly and the gas released is tested with a moist red litmus
paper.
6. Then, the activity is repeated using ammonia solution, NH 3(aq).

3
Observation

Aqueous cation Sodium hydroxide, NaOH Ammonium solution, NH3 (aq)

solution solution
Magnesium ion, Mg2+

Calcium ion, Ca2+

Zinc ion, Zn2+

Lead (II) ion, Pb2+

Aluminium ion, Al3+

Copper(II) ion, Cu2+

Iron(II) ion, Fe2+

Iron(III) ion, Fe3+

Ammonium ion, NH4+

Table 2

C: DETERMINING CATION AND ANION IN A COMPOUND X

You have performed experiments A and B to understand the test to determine the
cations and anions present in a solution.

Next determine the cations and anions present in a compound X.