Salt Analysis

Ever wondered what ions make up an unknown salt? That's where salt analysis comes in! It's
like a detective game for chemists, using a series of tests and observations to uncover the
identity of the cation and anion (the charged atoms) hiding within.

It's a crucial part of the CBSE class 12 chemistry practical exams. To perform salt analysis,
you'll conduct a series of tests, each targeting specific groups of cations or anions.

Process Of Salt Analysis

The steps involved in the process of the salt analysis experiment are mentioned below-

● Step 1 – Take a reasonable amount of inorganic salt to identify the anions and cations.
● Step 2 – Conduct preliminary tests to find out which anion group is present inside the
salt. Anions and cations are classified as sharing the same group of reagents and that’s
why they have similar preliminary tests.
● Step 3 – After finding the group, perform the confirmatory test for the anion.
● Step 4 – The same process should be followed for finding the cations group-wise.
● Step 5 – After finding the cations group, perform the confirmatory test for the cation.
● Step 6 – After identifying both anions and cations, get the chemical formula of salt by
balancing the charges of cations and anions.

For example, if the salt contains the sulfate (SO42-) anion and the calcium (Ca2+) cation, the
chemical formula for the salt will be CaSO4, commonly known as gypsum.
Salt Analysis Answer Format (Sample)

Observation Table

Test Observation Inference

Physical Color, state Initial clues about the salt's

appearance (solid/powder), texture, nature
etc.

Solubility in Soluble or insoluble Indicates possible ionic or

water covalent nature

Preliminary Flame test, HCl test, etc. Narrows down the potential
tests for cations cation groups present

Preliminary Dil. HCl test, BaCl₂ test, Narrows down the potential
tests for anions AgNO₃ test, etc. anion groups present

Group-wise Specific tests for Group 1, Confirms the presence or

analysis for 2, 3, 4, and 5 cations absence of specific cations
cations within each group
 Group-wise Specific tests for Confirms the presence or
analysis for carbonate, nitrate, absence of specific anions
anions chloride, sulfate, etc.

Confirmatory Specific tests for individual Provides conclusive evidence

tests ions for the cation and anion
present

Conclusion:

Cation identified: (Name of cation)

Anion identified: (Name of anion)

Chemical formula of the salt: (Cation symbol + anion symbol with appropriate
subscripts)
Tricks and Shortcuts for Salt Analysis

List of Cations For Salt Analysis

Multiple ions that belong to the same group usually have the same preliminary tests but
their confirmatory tests are different. The list of cations for salt analysis is mentioned
below-

Groups Cations

Group 0 NH4+

Group 1 Pb2+

Group 2 Cu2+

Group 3 Fe3+, Fe2+, Al3+

Group 4 Co2+, Mn2+, Ni2+, Zn2+

 Group 5 Ba2+, Ca2+, Sr2+

Group 6 Mg2+

List of Common Anions (Acidic Radicals) For Salt

Analysis

The list of anions for salt analysis is mentioned below-

Group Anions

Group CO32-, NO2-, SO32-, S2-

1

Group Cl-, Br-, l-, CH3COO-, NO3-, C2O42-

2

Group PO43-, SO42-

3

Preliminary Tests For Anions and Their Groups

The preliminary test for anions involves the identification of the anion of the salt group.
When a positive preliminary test is conducted for an anion, a confirmatory test is a must
to confirm the presence of anion in the salt.

Preliminary Test for Group 1 Anions

Experiment- Firstly, add a few drops of dilute H2SO4 (i.e., sulfuric acid) to a small
quantity of salt in a clean and dried test tube. If this test doesn’t work or nothing
happens then move on to the preliminary test for group 2 anions.

Anion Positive results

Carbonate Colorless and odorless gas that turns limewater

(CO32-) milky.

Sulfite (SO32-) Colorless, pungent-smelling gas

Sulfide (S2-) Colorless gas which smells like rotten eggs

Nitrite (NO2-) Light brown gas having a pungent smell.

Preliminary Test for Group 2 Anions

Experiment- Take a small amount of salt in a test tube then add a few drops of
concentrated H2SO4 (sulfuric acid) to it.

Anion Positive result

Chloride (Cl-) White, pungent-smelling fumes intensify when a glass rod dipped
in ammonium hydroxide is brought to the mouth of the test tube.

Bromide (Br-) Reddish-brown fumes

Iodide (I-) Violet fumes

Acetate Pungent fumes that smell like vinegar

(CH3COO-)

Nitrate (NO3-) Brown fumes with a pungent smell

 Oxalate The Bubbly effervescence of a combination of carbon dioxide and
(C2O4-) monoxide gas.

Preliminary Test for Group 3 Anions

The sulfate and phosphate ions of group 3 do not have any prominent preliminary test.
If no positive test results are obtained for group 1 and 2 anions, you can directly carry
out the confirmatory test for the phosphate and sulfate anions.

Confirmatory Tests For Anions

Preparation of the water extract of salt can be done by dissolving a pinch of inorganic
salt in some drops of water.

Anion Reagent Observation

Carbonate Magnesium Sulphate A white precipitate

(CO32-)

Sulphide (S2-) i) Sodium nitroprusside, ii) aq lead (i) Solution turns purple/ violet,
acetate ii) A black precipitate

Nitrite (NO2–) Boil water extract + dilute H2SO4. A deep blue colored solution
Add solid potassium iodide and
starch solution.

Nitrate (NO3-) Water extract + FeSO4+ Conc Brown ring at the junction of
nitric acid (HNO3) layers
Chloride (Cl-) AgNO3 White precipitate of AgCl,
soluble in NH4OH

Bromide (Br-) AgNO3 Pale yellow precipitate of AgBr,

partially soluble in NH4OH

Iodide (I-) AgNO3 Yellow precipitate of AgI,

insoluble in NH4OH

Sulfate Aq BaCl2 White precipitate of BaSO4,

(SO42-) insoluble in conc HCl

Sulfite Aq. Barium Chloride White precipitate that

(SO32-) disappears on addition of dil
HCl

Phosphate Ammonium molybdate + Dil. HNO3 Yellow, crystalline precipitate of

(PO43-) → boil ammonium phosphomolybdate

Acetate Conc H2SO4 + Ethanol Fruity smell due to the

(CH3COO-) formation of ester

Oxalate Acetic acid + calcium chloride A white precipitate that

(C2O4–) and boil the solution. dissolves upon adding dilute
HNO3
 Tip

The most common salt that contains the bromide ions is Ammonium bromide
(NH4BR) which is in school laboratories. You can immediately try a confirmatory
test for the ammonium cation (NH4+) if you are sure about the presence of
bromide ions in the salt.

Preliminary Tests For Cations

A Preliminary test for cations is performed to check the different cations present in the
inorganic salt. The process of these tests is similar to the test for anions. Some of the
Cation groups like group 0 and group 6 do not have any preliminary test. So, the
confirmatory tests for these cations can be directly conducted.

Note - One can prepare the original solution by mixing a small amount of inorganic salt
with water and acid.

Preliminary Test for Group 1 Cations

Experiment- Add some drops of dilute hydrochloric acid to the original solution.

Cations Positive results

Lead A White precipitate will be

(Pb2+) formed

Preliminary Test for Group 2 Cations

Experiment- Mix some drops of dilute HCI and hydrogen sulfate into the original
solution.

Cations Positive results

Copper Formation of black

(Cu2+) precipitate

Preliminary Test for Group 3 Cations

Experiment- There are two experiments included in group 3 for cations as mentioned
below-

● Ferrous salts (Fe2+) are green in color while ferric salt (Fe3+) is brown in color.
● For aluminium (Al3+ ion), when solid ammonium chloride (NH4Cl) and excess
ammonium hydroxide are added to OS, a gelatinous white precipitate is
obtained.

Preliminary Test for Group 4 Cations

Experiment- Mix solid NH4CI with NH4OH to the original mixture and then pass H2S gas
through it.

Cations Positive result

Cobalt (Co2+) and nickel (Ni2+) can conduct both A black precipitate will be
confirmatory tests formed.

Manganese (Mn2+) Formation of a skin-colored

precipitation
Zinc (Zn2+) Formation of a greyish-white
precipitate.

Preliminary Test for Group 5 Cations

Experiment- In the original solution, add ammonium carbonate ((NH4)2CO3),

ammonium chloride (NH4CI), and ammonium hydroxide. If a white precipitate is
obtained, then the cation might be of group 5 cation. To dissolve the white precipitate,
add dilute acetic acid (CH3COOH).

Cations Positive results

Barium (Ba2+) When K2CrO4 is added to the solution, a yellow precipitate is

formed.

Strontium When aqueous (NH4)2SO4 is added to the solution, a white

(Sr2+) precipitate is formed.

Calcium When ammonium oxalate and NH4OH are added to the solution, a
(Ca2+) white precipitate is formed.

Confirmatory Tests For Cations

The tests performed to confirm the presence of certain cations are as follows –

Cation Test(s) for Confirmation Observation

Present
Ammonium Add NaOH, then Nessler's reagent (K2HgI4) Brown or yellow
(NH4+) precipitate

Lead (Pb2+) 1. Add KI Yellow precipitate

2. Add potassium chromate (K2CrO4) to the for both tests
original solution

Copper (Cu2+) Add dil HCl & H2S (preliminary) to get black Black precipitate,
precipitate, then add excess ammonium then blue-colored
hydroxide solution

Iron (Fe3+) Heat concentrated HNO3 + OS, then add HCl Blue precipitate
& potassium ferrocyanide (K4[Fe(CN)6])

Aluminum Add NH4Cl & excess NH4OH, then dissolve Gelatinous white
(Al3+) the gelatinous white precipitate in HCl & add precipitate, then a
blue litmus & NH4OH dropwise blue floating layer
on the solution

Cobalt (Co2+) Add NH4Cl, and excess NH4OH to OS. Pass Yellow precipitate
through H2S gas. Dissolve the blue residue in
water and add dil. CH3COOH and KNO2, then
heat the mixture.

Nickel (Ni2+) Add NH4Cl and excess NH4OH to the original Black precipitate
solution. Pass H2S gas. Dissolve the yellow
residue formed in water to get a
green-coloured solution. Add NaOH and
bromine water to this mixture and boil it.
Manganese Add dilute HCl & H2S to the skin-coloured Skin-colored
(Mn2+) precipitate, then boil with off H2S & add precipitate, then
NaOH white precipitate
turning brown/black
with bromine water

Zinc (Zn2+) Add excess NaOH to greyish-white White precipitate

precipitate (preliminary) dissolved

Barium (Ba2+), Flame test: Mix salt with a few drops of conc
Ba2+:
Strontium HCl (in the form of a paste). Skim off some of
Green-coloured
(Sr2+), Calcium the paste with a glass rod and expose it to a
flame
(Ca2+) Bunsen Burner’s flame.
Sr2+: Crimson red
flame
Ca2+: Brick red
flame

Magnesium Add NH4Cl, ammonium phosphate White precipitate

(Mg2+) (NH4)3PO4, & excess NH4OH to original
solution.