IDENTIFICATION OF

GASES
 IDENTIFICATION OF GASES
1. HYDROGEN
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE

A piece of The evolved gas is The gas is Hydrogen.

Magnesium wire is colourless,
taken in a clean and odourless and
dry test tube. neutral to litmus.
Equation:
Add a few drops of It burns with a blue
dil.hydrochloric acid. flame and pop Mg +2HCl MgCl2 +H2
sound when a
burning splinter is
brought near it.
 IDENTIFICATION OF GASES
2. OXYGEN
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE

A few grams of The evolved gas is The gas is Oxygen.

Potassium colourless,
chlorate is taken odourless and
in a clean and dry neutral to litmus.
test tube and a It rekindles a Equation :
pinch of glowing splinter. 2KClO3 2KCl + 3O2
Manganese
dioxide is added (Catalyst – MnO2)
and then heated.
 IDENTIFICATION OF GASES
3. CARBON DIOXIDE
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE

Take a few grams The gas is The gas is Carbon dioxide.

of Sodium colourless and
carbonate in a odourless
clean and dry test It turns moist blue
tube.Add a few litmus faint red. Equation :
drops of dil.HCl It turns lime water
acid. Na2CO3 + 2HCl 2NaCl
milky when gas is
+H2O + CO2
passed through
lime water.
 IDENTIFICATON OF GASES
4. CHLORINE
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE

Add a few drops The gas is The gas identified is

of conc.HCl to a greenish yellow Chlorine.
few grams of having a sharp
MnO2 taken in a pungent odour.
clean and dry The gas turns Equation:
test tube. Heat moist blue litmus
red and then MnO2 +4HCl  MnCl2 +
the mixture.
bleaches it. 2H2O +Cl2
It decolourises
Potassium
permanganate
solution.
 IDENTIFICATION OF GASES
5. HYDROGEN CHLORIDE
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE

To a few grams The gas is The gas is Hydrogen

of NaCl taken in colourless with a chloride.
a clean and dry pungent choking
test tube add a odour.
few drops of The gas turns
conc.H2SO4 and moist blue litmus
gently heat for a red. Equation :
few seconds. If the rod dipped NaCl + H2SO4  NaHSO4 +
in Ammonia HCl
solution is brought
near it , dense
white fumes of
NH Cl are formed.
 IDENTIFICATION OF GASES
6. SULPHUR DIOXIDE
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE

Add a few drops of The gas is colourless The gas is Sulphur

dil.HCl to a few with a suffocating dioxide.
grams of Sodium smell of burning
sulphite taken in a sulphur.
clean and dry test It turns moist blue
tube. Equation :
litmus red.
Na2SO3 +2HCl
It turns golden yellow
solution of 2NaCl + H2O + SO2
Potassium
dichromate green.
 IDENTIFICATION OF GASES
7. HYDROGEN SULPHIDE
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE

In a clean and dry The gas is The gas is Hydrogen

test tube take a colourless having a sulphide.
few grams of ZnS foul smell of rotten
and add a few eggs.
drops of dil.HCl and It turns moist blue
warm if necessary. Equation :
litmus red.
ZnS + 2HCl  ZnCl2 +
It turns lead
acetate paper H2S
silvery black.
 IDENTIFICATION OF GASES
8. AMMONIA
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE

Heat a mixture of The gas is colourless The gas is Ammonia.

slaked lime and with a sharp pungent
ammonium characteristic smell.
chloride in a clean It turns moist red
and dry test tube. Equation :
litmus blue.
Ca(OH)2 + 2NH4Cl 
If the rod dipped in
conc.HCl is brought CaCl2 + 2H2O + 2NH3
near it , dense white
fumes of NH4Cl are
formed.
 IDENTIFICATION OF GASES
9. WATER VAPOUR
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE

Heat a few crystals A clear liquid forms The gas is water

of Copper sulphate on the cooler parts vapour.
in a dry test tube. of the test tube,
which turns
anhydrous copper
sulphate (white) to Equation :
blue. CuSO4 .5H2O 
It is neutral to litmus. CuSO4 + 5H2O
 IDENTIFICATION OF GASES
10. NITROGEN DIOXIDE
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE

Add a few drops of The gas is reddish The gas is Nitrogen

conc.Nitric acid to a brown in colour dioxide.
few grams of Copper having an irritating
turnings taken in a odour.
clean and dry test It turns KI paper
tube. Equation :
yellow.
Heat the mixture. Cu + 4HNO3 
It turns blue litmus
red. Cu(NO3)2 + 2H2 O
+2NO2
TEST FOR ANIONS
USING DILUTE
SULPHURIC ACID
 1.TEST FOR CARBONATE
2-
(CO3 )
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE

A small quantity of Brisk effervescence Carbonate may be

salt is taken in a test
occurs and present.
tube and a little colourless odourless
amount of dil.H2SO4 gas evolves.It
is added to it. Warm extinguishes a
if there is no action glowing splinter. It
in cold. turns moist blue
litmus red. Carbonate is
It turns lime water confirmed.
Pass the gas through
milky.
lime water.
. Equation :
The white ppt Na2CO3 + H2SO4 
To the above ppt,
dissolves to form
 2.TEST FOR SULPHIDE 2-
(S )
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE

A small quantity of A colourless gas with Sulphide may be

salt is taken in a test a rotten egg smell is present.
tube and a little given out.
amount of dil.H2SO4 It turns blue litmus
is added to it. red.
A filter paper dipped Sulphide is
in moist lead acetate The moist lead confirmed.
is brought near the acetate paper turns Equation :
mouth of the test silvery black.
tube. ZnS + H2SO4 
ZnSO4 + H2S
 3.TEST FOR SULPHITE (SO3 2-)

EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE

A small quantity of A colourless gas with Sulphite may be

salt is taken in a test a suffocating odour present.
tube and a little of burnt suphur is
amount of dil.H2SO4 given out.
is added to it. The gas turns blue
litmus red.

A moist filter paper The orange colour of

the paper turns Sulphite is confirmed.
with acidified
green. Equation :
potassium
dichromate is Na2SO3 + H2SO4 
brought near the Na2SO4 + H2 O +SO2
TEST FOR ANIONS
USING
CONCENTRATED
SULPHURIC ACID
 1.TEST FOR CHLORIDE -
(Cl )
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE

A small quantity of A colourless gas with Chloride may be

salt is taken in a a pungent odour is present.
test tube and a little given out.
amount of conc. It turns blue litmus
H2SO4 is added to it. red.
It is warmed gently.
A glass rod dipped
Chloride is confirmed.
in Ammonium Dense white fumes of
hydroxide is brought Hydrogen chloride are Equation :
near the gas formed. NaCl + H2SO4 
evolved. NaHSO4 + HCl
NH3 + HCl  NH4Cl
 2.TEST FOR NITRATE (NO3 -)

EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE

A small quantity Reddish brown Nitrate may be present.

of salt is taken in fumes are
a test tube and a evolved. Nitrate is confirmed.
few drops of
Conc.H2SO4 are Equation :
KNO3+H2SO4KHSO4+
carefully poured
along the side of HNO3
the test tube.
2HNO3+3 H2SO4+6FeSO4
An equal volume
A brown ring 3Fe2(SO4)3 + 4 H2 O + 2NO
of freshly
prepared ferrous appears at the
sulphate solution junction of the FeSO4 + NO  FeSO4.NO
is added to the two liquids.
(brown ring)
TEST FOR ACID
RADICAL
 1.TEST FOR SULPHATE(SO4 2-)

EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE

A small quantity White precipitate Sulphate is confirmed.

of salt is taken in is obtained which
a test tube and a remains insoluble
solution is in dil.nitric acid.
prepared. To one
part dilute nitric
acid and then
Barium chloride
solution is added. White ppt is
formed which is Sulphate is confirmed.
To the other part
of the solution soluble in excess
add acetic acid of Ammonium Equation :
and lead acetate acetate solution Na2SO4 + BaCl2 2NaCl
solution.
TEST FOR
CATIONS
 1.TEST FOR AMMONIUM +
(NH4 )
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE

A small quantity of Colourless gas Ammonium may be

salt is taken in a with a pungent present.
test tube and a smell is evolved. Equation :
little amount of It turns moist red NH4Cl + NaOH NaCl +
NaOH is added to litmus blue.
it and warmed H2O + NH3
It gives dense
gently. white fumes of
A glass rod is NH4Cl with a rod Ammonium is confirmed.
dipped in conc.HCl Equation :
dipped in conc.
and brought near
HCl. NH3 + HCl NH4Cl
the evolved gas.
(white fumes)
 2.TEST FOR LEAD (Pb2+)
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE

A small quantity of A white ppt. of Lead may be present.

salt is taken in a Lead hydroxide is Equation :
test tube and a formed. Pb(NO3)2+ NaOH NaNO3
little amount of
NaOH is added to + Pb(OH) 2
it.
It is soluble in
Add excess of excess of NaOH. Lead is confirmed.
NaOH to the ppt. Equation :
formed.
Pb(OH) 2 + 2NaOH 
Na2PbO2 + 2H2O
 3.TEST FOR COPPER(Cu2+)
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE

A small quantity of A pale blue ppt. Copper may be present.

salt is taken in a of Copper CuSO4+ 2NH4OH 
test tube and a hydroxide is
little amount of formed. Cu(OH)2 + (NH4)2SO4
NH4OH is added to
it.
Add excess of It is soluble in Copper is confirmed.
NH4OH to the ppt. excess of NH4OH Equation :
formed. forming azure Cu(OH)2 + (NH4)2SO4+
blue solution. 2NH4OH H2O +
Cu(NH3)4SO4
 4.TEST FOR ZINC (Zn2+)
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE

A small quantity of A gelatinous Zinc may be present.

salt is taken in a white ppt. of Zinc Equation :
test tube and a hydroxide is ZnSO4+ 2NaOH  Na2SO4
little amount of formed.
NaOH is added to + Zn(OH) 2
it. It is soluble in
Add excess of excess of NaOH. Zinc is confirmed.
NaOH to the ppt. Equation :
formed.
Zn(OH) 2 + 2NaOH 
Na2ZnO2 + H2O
 5.TEST FOR FERROUS (Fe2+)
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE

A small quantity of A dirty green ppt. Ferrous may be present.

salt is taken in a of Ferrous
test tube and a hydroxide is
little amount of formed.
NaOH is added to
it. Ferrous is confirmed.
It is insoluble in
Add excess of excess of NaOH. Equation :
NaOH to the ppt. FeSO4 + 2NaOH 
formed.
Fe(OH) 2
+ Na2 SO4
 6.TEST FOR FERRIC (Fe3+)
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE

A small quantity of A reddish brown Ferric may be present.

salt is taken in a ppt. of Ferric
test tube and a hydroxide is
little amount of formed.
NaOH is added to
it. Ferric is confirmed.
It is insoluble in
Add excess of excess of NaOH. Equation :
NaOH to the ppt. FeCl3+ 3NaOH  Fe(OH)3
formed.
+ 3NaCl
 7.TEST FOR CALCIUM(Ca2+)
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE

A small quantity of No ppt.is Calcium may be present.

salt is taken in a obtained even in
test tube and a excess of NH4OH .
little amount of
NH4OH is added to
it.
White ppt. is Calcium is confirmed.
A small quantity of obtained which is
salt is taken in a Equation :
sparingly soluble
test tube and a Ca(NO3)2 +2NaOH 
in excess of
little amount of NaOH . Ca(OH) 2 +2Na NO3
NaOH is added to
it.
DISTINCTION
BETWEEN
COPPER OXIDE
AND MANGANESE
DIOXIDE
 1. DISTINCTION BETWEEN COPPER OXIDE
AND MANGANESE DIOXIDE
TEST COPPER OXIDE MANGANESE
DIOXIDE
Conc.HCl is Green colour solution is Greenish yellow
added to the obtained.No gas is evolved. coloured gas which
CuO+HCl CuCl2+H2O bleaches moist blue
black powder litmus is evolved.
and warmed. Filtrate is green in colour. The gas is Chlorine.
The above A pale blue ppt. is obtained
solution is which is soluble in excess Filtrate is light brown
filtered. of NH4OH giving an Azure in colour.
Ammonium blue solution.
hydroxide is
added to the CuCl2+ NH4OH  Cu(OH) 2 No ppt.is formed.
filtrate. +2NH4Cl MnO2+4HCl
Cu(OH) 2 + NH4OH  MnCl2+2H2O+Cl2
[Cu(NH ) ](OH) + 4 H O
DISTINCTION
BETWEEN
COLOURLESS
SOLUTIONS OF ACIDS
AND
ALKALIS
1. DISTINCTION BETWEEN COLOURS
SOLUTIONS OF ACIDS AND ALKALIS
TEST ACIDIC SOLUTION ALKALINESOLUTION
1. Moist Litmus Blue turns red. Red turns blue.
paper

2. Methyl orange Orange turns red. Yellow colour is obtained.

3. Colour does not Colourless solution turns

Phenolphthal change. pink.
ein
Carbon dioxide No reaction.
evolves, turns lime
4. Addition of water milky.

Sodiumcarbo No gas is evolved. Ammonia is evolved

nate. which turns red litmus to