IDENTIFICATION OF CATIONS

EXPERIMENT 4

Identification of NH4+, Pb2+, Cu2+

Experiment Observation Inference

1. Colour of the salt Colourless Cu2+, Ni2+, Mn2+, Fe3+ may be
absent
2. Flame test. No characteristic colour of Absence of Cu2+, Ba2+, Sr2+, Ca2+
Introduce a paste of the flame.
salt with conc. HCl to
the non-luminous flame
3. Ash test. No characteristic colour of ash Absence of Al3+, Zn2+, Mg2+
To a small amount of
salt in a watch glass add
few drops of conc.
HNO3 and cobalt nitrate
solution. Soak a filter
paper strip and burn.
4. Heat a pinch of the salt Smell of ammonia Presence of NH4+
with NaOH solution.

Introduce a glass rod Dense white fumes

dipped in conc. HCl
5. Bring moist red litmus Red litmus turns blue Presence of NH4+
near the mouth of the
test tube.
6. Add Nessler’s reagent Reddish brown precipitate Presence of NH4+ confirmed
to a very dilute solution
of the salt
Packet B Cu2+, Ni2+, Mn2+, Fe3+ may be
1. Colour of the salt Colourless absent
2. Flame test. No characteristic colour of Absence of Cu2+, Ba2+, Sr2+, Ca2+
Introduce a paste of the salt flame
with conc. HCl to the non-
luminous flame
3. Ash test. No characteristic colour of ash Absence of Al3+, Zn2+, Mg2+
To a small amount of salt in a
watch glass add few drops of
conc. HNO3 and cobalt nitrate
solution. Soak a filter paper
strip and burn.
4. Heat a pinch of the salt No Smell of ammonia Absence of NH4+
with NaOH solution.

Preparation of Original solution-

dissolve two scoops of salt in 5
ml of a suitable solvent.
5. To 5 ml of original White precipitate Presence of Group 1(Pb2+)
solution add dil.HCl
6. Dissolve the white
precipitate in hot water
and divide the hot
solution in 2 parts.
i) To the first part Yellow precipitate Presence of Pb2+ is confirmed
add K2CrO4
solution
ii) To the second Yellow precipitate which Pb2+ conformed
part add KI dissolves in boiling water and
solution reappears on cooling as golden
spangles

Packet C
1.Colour of the salt Blue Cu2+ may be present
2. Flame test. Bluish green flame Presence of Cu2+
Introduce a paste of the salt
with conc. HCl to the non-
luminous flame
3. Ash test. No characteristic colour of ash Absence of Al3+, Zn2+, Mg2+
To a small amount of salt in
a watch glass add few drops
of conc. HNO3 and cobalt
nitrate solution. Soak a filter
paper strip and burn.
4. Heat a pinch of the salt No smell of ammonia Absence of NH4+
with NaOH solution.

5. Preparation of Original
solution- dissolve two
scoops of salt in 5 ml of
a suitable solvent.
6. To 5 ml of original No White precipitate Absence of Group 1(Pb2+)
solution add dil.HCl
7. Divide the group 1
solution into two parts.
To the first part add H2S Black precipitate Presence of Group 2 (Cu2+)
water.
8. Filter the black ppt and
dissolve in 50% HNO3.
Divide the solution into
2 parts.
i) To the first part
add NH4OH Light blue ppt. which dissolves Presence of Cu2+ confirmed
drop by drop in excess of NH4OH and gives a
 and then in deep blue colour solution.
excess.
ii) To the second Chocolate brown precipitate Presence of Cu2+ confirmed
part add acetic
acid and
K4[Fe(CN)6]
solution