SYSTEMATIC ANALYSIS OF SIMPLE SALTS

It consists of three steps:

1. Preliminary Tests.
2. Analysis for the identification and confirmation of acidic radical.
3. Analysis for the identification and confirmation of basic radical.

PRELIMINARY TESTS

EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE

1.Physical appearance:
(a) Colour and appearance of the salt is
noted.
2. Solubility : A little of the salt is shaken
with water.
3.Action of heat :A little of the salt is heated in a
dry test tube.
3. 4. Flame test: A little of salt is made into paste
with few drops of conc. HCl and brought into a
non-luminous flame using a glass rod.
EXPERIMENT
1.Action of dil HCl:-To a little of the substance,
added few drops of dil. HCl and heated slowly.
2+ 2+
Blue or bluish green Cu or Ni may be present.
light pink May be the Presence of Mn2+.
colourless . Shows the absence of Cu2+, Ni2+, Mn2+
Soluble May be the Presence of NH4+
Colourless odourless gas. May be the Presence of CO32¯
Vinegar like smell May be the Presence of Acetate ion, CH3COO-
Colourless pungent smelling gas May be the Presence of Chloride, Cl¯ or Ammonium.
A reddish brown gas is evolved May be the Presence of Nitrate ion
Violet vapours. May be the Presence of Iodide, I¯
No characteristic gas May be the Absence of CO32- ,CH3COO-, I¯etc.
Blue colour May be the Presence of Barium,Cu2+
Pale green colour May be the Presence of Barium,Ba2+
Crimson red colour May be the Presence of Strontium, Sr2+
Brick red colour. May be the Presence of Calcium,Ca2+
No characteristic flame May be the Absence of Ba2+ , Sr2+ , Ca2+ and Cu2+
IDENTIFICATION TEST FOR ACID RADICALS
OBSERVATION INFERENCE
(a) Vigorous or brisk effervescence with evolution Presence of CO32¯ is identified. (It is because carbonate got
of colourless, odourless gas which turned lime decomposed by dil. HCl with the formation of CO2 gas .CO2
water milky. reacts with lime water and gives calcium carbonate.)
(b)No characteristic observation Absence of CO32¯

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 2. Action of dil. H2SO4: A little of the substance is
rubbed with dil. H2SO4 in watch glass and smell it.
3. Action of conc. H2SO4 :
A little of the conc. H2SO4 is added to a little of salt
taken in a dry test tube and warmed.
4. Action with conc. H2SO4 and paper ball:A little
of the substance is strongly heated with conc.
H2SO4 in a dry test tube, and to the boiling
solution, a paper ball is added.
5. Action of BaCl2 solution:To a little of salt
solution, 1 ml of BaCl2 is added.
EXPERIMENT
1.CHLORIDE:
(a) AgNO3 test: To a little of the salt solution a few
drops of dil.HNO3 and silver nitrate are added.
(b) MnO2 test:A little of the salt is heated with
cone. H2SO4 and a pinch of MnO2
(a) Vinegar like smell
(b) No characteristic observation
(a) Colourless gas evolved .
A glass rod dipped in NH4OH solution is shown
into the above gas.
(b) Reddish brown vapours evolved and solution
turned brown
(c) Violet vapours and black shining crystals on the
colour sides of the test tube.
(d) No characteristic observation
(a) A reddish brown gas is evolved
(b) No characteristic observation
(a) A white precipitate insoluble in dil.HCl is
formed.
(b) No characteristic observation
CONFIRMATORY TEST FOR ACID RADICALS (ANIONS)
OBSERVATION
(a) White curdy precipitate
The above precipitate soluble in excess of
NH4OH is observed .
(b) A greenish yellow gas with pungent smell is
observed.
2
Presence of Acetate ion, CH3COO- is identified.
(It is due to the formation of acetic acid)
Absence of CH3COO¯
Presence of Chloride, Cl¯ is identified.
(It is due to the formation of HCl gas.
It is due to the formation of NH4Cl gas by the reaction of HCl
with NH4OH)
Presence of Bromide,Br¯is identified.
(Bromide got decomposed by conc: H2SO4 and produce
colourless hydrogen bromide.HBr thus formed got oxidized
by excess of conc: H2SO4 and forms Bromine gas.)
Presence of Iodide, I¯ is identified. (Iodide got decomposed
by conc: H2SO4 and produce Iodine gas)
Absence of Cl¯, Br¯, I¯
Presence of Nitrate ion is identified.
(It is due to the formation of NO2 gas)
Absence of Nitrate ion .
Presence of Sulphate ion is identified
(It is due to the formation of Barium sulphate)
Absence of Sulphate ion .
INFERENCE
Presence of Cl¯ is confirmed. (It is due to the formation of
AgCl. AgCl dissolves in NH4 OH due to the formation of soluble
complex.)
Presence of Cl¯ is confirmed.( It is due to the formation of Cl2
gas.)
(c). Chromyl chloride test : Mix a small amount of
salt with potassium dichromate and heat with
cone. H2SO4 .
The vapours are dissolved in water.
To the yellow solution 3 drops of NH 4OH ,3-5
dropsof acetic acid and 1ml of lead acetate
solution are added
2.BROMIDE:
(a)AgNO3 test: To a little of the salt solution, a few
drops of dil. HNO3 and AgNO3 are added.
(b) MnO2 test: To a little of the salt solution is
heated with conc. H2SO4and a pinch of MnO2.
3.IODIDE:
(a) AgNO3 test: To a little of aqueous solution
of salt, few drops of dil. HNO3 and agNO3 are
added.
(b) MnO2 test: To a little of the salt solution is
heated with conc. H2SO4and a pinch of MnO2
4.NITRATE:
(a)Brown ring test: To a little of salt solution
an equal volume of freshly prepared ferrous
sulphate solution is added and shaken well. To
this, conc. H2SO4 is carefully added along the sides
of the test tube.
(b) Action with conc. H2SO4 and Copper turnings
:A little of the substance is strongly heated with
conc. H2SO4 in a dry test tube, and to the boiling
solution, Cu turnings are added.
Reddish brown vapours are evolved
Yellow solution formed
yellow precipitate is formed.
(a) A pale yellow precipitate partially soluble in
NH4OH is obtained
(b) Reddish brown vapours which turned starch
paper yellow, when showed in the mouth of the
test tube.
Yellow precipitate insoluble in excess of NH4OH.
Violet vapours are formed
A brown ring is formed at the junction of the acid
and aqueous solution
Reddish brown gas is evolved
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Presence of Cl¯ is confirmed .
(It is due to the formation of chromyl chloride gas.)
(This is due to the formation of lead chromate.)
Presence of Br¯ is confirmed. (It is due to the formation of
AgBr. It is partially soluble in NH 4 OH.)
Presence of Br¯ is confirmed. (It is due to the formation of Br2
gas by the reaction of bromide with MnO 2 and Conc H 2SO4 .)
Presence of I¯ confirmed. (It is due to the formation of AgI. It
is insoluble in NH 4 OH.)
Presence of I¯ confirmed .(It is due to the formation of Iodine
gas by the oxidation of Iodide by MnO 2 and Conc H 2SO4 .)
Presence of NO3¯ is confirmed. (It is due to the formation of
nitroso ferrous sulphate.)
Presence of NO3¯ is confirmed. (It is due to the formation of
NO 2 gas.)
5.SULPHATE:
(a) Lead acetate test: To a little of the salt
solution a little lead acetate solution is added.
(b) Ammonium acetate test.
To the precipitate obtained in the above test,
ammonium acetate solution is added.
A white precipitate is formed Presence of Sulphate is confirmed. (It is due to the formation
of lead sulphate)
Precipitate is dissolved Presence of Sulphate is confirmed. ( lead sulphate is soluble
in ammonium acetate and forms lead acetate.)

The anion present in the given salt is _________________

SYSTEMATIC ANALYSIS OF CATIONS

The given salt in water is prepared and the following tests are conducted in the order given below.
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
TEST FOR ZERO GROUP (NH4+)

(a) NaOH solution is added to the salt solution and boiled. Colourless pungent smelling gas is Presence of NH4+ is confirmed. (It is due to
formed. the formation of NH3gas by the reaction of
A glass rod dipped in Conc: HCl is shown in the above gas NaOH with ammonium salt.)
dense white fumes are formed NH 3 gas formed above reacts with HCl and
forms dense white fumes of NH4 Cl.
(b) To a little of the salt solution 2ml of Nessler’s reagent is added. A brown precipitate Presence of NH4+ is confirmed. It is due to the
formation of mercuric amino iodide.
The group identification can be done. When a group is identified by the formation of a precipitate, then do the confirmatory test for the cation
present in that particular group.
INTERGROUP SEPARATION OF CATIONS
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
1. To a little of the salt solution dil.HCl is added. (a) A precipitate Presence of group I (Pb2+)
(b) No precipitate Absence of group I (Pb2+)
2. To a little of the salt solution dil.HCl is added and H2S gas is passed. (a) A precipitate Presence of group II (Cu 2+)
(b) No precipitate Absence of group II
3. To a little of the salt solution solid NH4Cl and excess NH4OH are (a) A precipitate Presence of group III (Al3+)
added.
(b) No precipitate Absence of group III

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4. To a little of the salt solution solid NH4Cl and excess NH4OH are (a) A precipitate Presence of group IV (Mn2+, Zn2+)
added and H2S gas is passed.
(b) No precipitate Absence of group IV
5. To a little of the salt solution solid NH4Cl, excess of NH4OH and (a) A precipitate Presence of group V (Sr2+, Ba2+, Ca2+)
(NH4)2 CO3 solutions are added
(b) No precipitate Absence of group V
6. To a little of the salt solution solid NH4Cl, excess NH4OH and (a) A precipitate Presence of group VI (Mg2+)
Sodium hydrogen phosphate solution are added
(b) No precipitate Absence of group VI

CONFIRMATORY TEST FOR CATION

ANALYSIS OF GROUP III (Al3+, To be done only if group II is absent)

(a) Ash test: To about 2 ml of salt solution, add one or two drops of conc. Presence of Al3+ is confirmed.( It is due to the
HNO3 and little of Cobalt Nitrate solution. It is boiled and a filter paper dipped Blue ash formation of double oxide of cobalt and
in it and burn to ash. aluminium(Thenard’s blue)
A white precipitate is formed first Presence of Al3+ is confirmed. ( NH4OH is
(c) NaOH test: which dissolves in excess NaOH formed which dissolves in excess of NaOH.)
To the salt solution, added NaOH drop by drop. solution

ANALYSIS OF GROUP IV (Co2+, Mn2+, Ni2+, Zn2+)

Test for Zn2+
(a) NaOH test: NaOH solution is added drop by drop to salt solution and the White precipitate soluble in excess Presence of Zn2+ is confirmed. (Zinc
in excess NaOH solution. hydroxide formed is converted into soluble
sodium zincate.)
(c) Ash test: To about 2 ml of salt solution, add one or two drops of conc. Presence of Zn2+ is confirmed. It is due to the
HNO3 and little of cobalt Nitrate solution. It is boiled and a filter paper is Green ash formation of double oxide of cobalt and
dipped in it and burn to ash. zinc.(Rinmann’s green)
ANALYSIS OF GROUP V ( Ba2+ , Ca2+ or Sr2+ To be done only if group IV is absent)
The white precipitate obtained in group V is dissolved in minimum amount of
dilute acetic acid and divided into three parts. Yellow precipitate Presence of Ba2+ is confirmed.( It is due to the
Test for Ba2+ formation of Barium Chromate.)
(a) Potassium chromate test:To the first part of the solution, few drops of
Potassium Chromate solution is added.
(b) Flame test:-A little of the salt is made into a paste with few drops of conc. Pale green colour Presence of Ba2+ is confirmed. It is due to the
HCl and brought into non-Luminous flame using a glass rod. formation of Ba2+ .The spectral line emitted

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 by barium ions fall in the green range of
frequency and hence the colour is green.
Test for Sr2+ White precipitate Presence of Sr2+ is confirmed. It is due to the
(a) Ammonium sulphate test:To the second part of the solution, ImL of formation of Strontium sulphate.
ammonium sulphate solution is added.
(b) Flame test: A little of the salt is made into a paste with few drops of Crimson red colour Presence of Sr2+ is confirmed.It is due to the
cone.HCl and brought into the non-luminous flame using glass rod. formation of Sr2+
Test for Ca2+: White precipitate insoluble in Presence of Ca2+ is confirmed.It is due to the
(a) Ammonium Oxalate test: To the third portion of the solution, ammonium CH3COOH. formation of calcium oxalate.
oxalate and NH 4 OH Solution is added.
(b) Flame test: A little of the salt is made into a paste with a few drops of Brick red colour Presence of Ca2+ is confirmed. It is due to the
cone. HCl and brought into non-luminous flame using a glass rod. formation of Ca2+ ions.
ANALYSIS OF GROUP VI (Mg2+)
(To be done only if group V is absent) Presence of Mg2+ is confirmed.
(a) Magneson reagent test: To a little of salt solution magneson reagent Blue colouration Mg (OH) 2 formed absorbs the magneson
and excess of NaOH are added. reagent.
(b) Ash test: To about 2ml of salt solution, add one or two drops of conc. Pink ash Presence of Mg2+ is confirmed. It is due to the
HNO3 and little of cobalt Nitrate solution. It is then boiled and filter paper formation of double oxide of cobalt and
is dipped in it and burn to ash. Magnesium

The Cation present in the given salt is __________

Result:

Therefore the given salt is __________________________