INORGANIC QUALITATIVE

ANALYSIS
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
PRELIMINARY
ANALYSIS

1. Noted Colour and

a) Colourless crystals Absence of Cu2+ ,
appearance of salt Fe2+ , Mn2+ ,etc.
b)Colourless
amorphous Maybe carbonates

2. Noted the solubility in a) Soluble May be halides,

water Nitrates, sulphates

b)Insoluble May be carbonates

3. Flame test
A little of salt is a) Pale green flame Presence of Ba2+
made into a paste
with conc. HCl. A b) Brick red flame Presence of Ca2+
little of this paste
is taken on a glass c)Crimson red flame Presence of Sr 2+
rod and shown to
the non-luminous
Bunsen flame.
4. Ash Test
A little of the salt a) A blue tinted ash Presence of Al3+
is mixed with a few
drops of conc. HNO3
and cobalt nitrate
solution. A multi- b) A green tinted ash Presence of Zn2+
folded filter paper is
 soaked in this and c)A pink tinted ash Presence of Mg 2+
burnt to ash.
Tests for Acid
Radicals (Anions)

a) Test for
1.
carbonate(𝐂𝐎𝟐−
𝟑 )

A little of the salt

Brisk effervescence Presence of CO2−
3
with liberation of a
is treated with
colourless, odourless
dil. HCl
gas

Confirmatory test
for 𝐂𝐎𝟐−
𝟑

A little of the salt is Lime water turns

treated with dil. HCl Presence of CO2−
3
milky confirmed
and the evolved gas
is passed through
limewater
2. a) Test for
Chloride (𝐂𝐥− )

A little of the salt a) A colourless gas Presence of Cl−

is treated with a few giving dense
drops of conc. white fumes with
H2 SO4 ammonia solution
on a glass rod
Confirmatory test
for chloride

1mL of salt solution a) A curdy white Presence of Cl−

is acidified with dil. precipitate confirmed
HNO3 and a few completely soluble
drops of AgNO3 in NH4 OH
solution is added
3. a) Test for Nitrates
(𝐍𝐎−
𝟑)

A little of the salt is Reddish brown fumes Presence of NO−

3
Treated with conc. and the solution turns
H2 SO4 and warmed. greenish-blue
To this 1-2 pieces of
copper turnings are
added confirmatory
for NO− 3

Confirmatory test for

𝐍𝐎−𝟑 (Brown ring test)

To a little of the A brown ring at the Presence of NO−

3
aqueous solution of the junction of two liquids
confirmed
salt a few drops of dil.
H2 SO4 followed by a
few drops of freshly
prepared FeSO4
solution are added.
Conc. H2 SO4 is added
along the sides of the
test tube slowly by
slightly tilting it.

4. a) Test for Sulphate

(𝐒𝐎𝟐−
𝟒 )

To a little of the
A thick white precipitate Presence of SO2−
4
aqueous solution of the
salt a few drops of dil.
HCl and BaCl2 solutions
are added.
 Confirmatory Test for
𝐒𝐎𝟐−
𝟒

To a little of the A thick white precipitate Presence of SO2−

4
aqueous solution of the confirmed
salt, 1-2 drops of
acetic acid and lead
acetate solutions are
added.

Test for Basic

Radicals (Cations)

a) Detection of Groups

1. Test for Group Zero

(𝐍𝐇𝟒+ - Ammonium)

To a small amount of A pungent smelling gas

the salt add NaOH giving dense white Presence of NH4+
solution and shake fumes with conc. HCl
(warm). taken on a glass rod

Confirmatory test for

NH4+

To the above solution A chocolate brown

add Nessler’s reagent precipitate is formed Presence of NH4+
drop wise confirmed

*Original salt solution is prepared by dissolving the salt in

water. If the salt is insoluble, make the solution in dilute HCl.
2. Test for group I
(𝐏𝐛𝟐+ − 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝)

To a little of the salt A thick white precipitate Presence of group I

solution dil. HCl is added. (dissolving on warming (Pb2+ )
with water).
Confirmatory test for
group I (𝐏𝐛𝟐+ )

Divide salt solution into

two parts:

1. To one part add 𝐾2 𝐶𝑟𝑂4 A yellow precipitate Presence of Pb2+

(Potassium chromate) confirmed
solution
2.
To the second part add KI A yellow precipitate Presence of Pb2+
(Potassium Iodide) confirmed
solution
3. Test for group II
(𝐂𝐝𝟐+ − 𝐂𝐚𝐝𝐦𝐢𝐮𝐦)

To a little of the salt a) A yellow precipitate Presence of Cd2+

solution, dil. HCl is added
and H2 S gas is passed.

Confirmatory Test for

Group II (𝐂𝐝𝟐+ )

1. To a little of the salt A white precipitate Presence of Cd2+

solution NaOH solution confirmed
is added.
2. To a little of the salt A bluish white or Presence of Cd2+
solution potassium greenish white confirmed
ferrocyanide precipitate
𝐾4 [Fe(𝐶𝑁)6 ] is added
4. Test for group III
(𝐀𝐥𝟑+ − 𝐀𝐥𝐮𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐮𝐦)

To a little of the salt

solution add excess A gelatinous white Presence of group
NH4 Cl solution and Precipitate III (Al3+ )
NH4 OH (Ammonia
solution)

Confirmatory test for

Group III (𝐀𝐥𝟑+ )

1. The gelatinous white

Precipitate is dissolved A blue lake is formed on Presence of Al3+
in minimum quantity of the surface of the confirmed
dil. HCl. A drop of blue solution
litmus solution is added
followed by NH4 OH.

2. Ash test performed Blue tinted ash Presence of Al3+

confirmed

5. Test for group IV

(𝐙𝐧𝟐+ - Zinc)

To a little of salt solution

A dull white precipitate Presence of group IV
add excess NH4 Cl
(Zn2+ )
solution, NH4 OH and
H2 S gas is passed.
 Confirmatory test for
group IV (𝐙𝐧𝟐+ )

1. To a little of the salt A white precipitate Presence of Zn2+

solution dil. NaOH is soluble in excess of confirmed
added. NaOH
Presence of Zn2+
2. To a little of the salt A bluish white or confirmed
solution 𝐾4 [Fe(𝐶𝑁)6 ] is greenish white
added. precipitate Presence of Zn2+
confirmed
3. Ash test performed Green tinted ash

6. Test for group V

[ 𝐁𝐚𝟐+ (Barium) , 𝐒𝐫 𝟐+
(Strontium), 𝐂𝐚𝟐+
(Calcium)]

To a little of salt solution

add excess NH4 Cl A thick white precipitate Presence of group V
solution, NH4 OH and (Ba2+ , Sr 2+ , Ca2+ )
(NH4 )2 CO3 are added
in sequence.

Analysis for group V

*Group V precipitate is dissolved in minimum quantity Acetic acid
and is divided into 3 parts(test tubes).
Confirmatory test for
𝐁𝐚𝟐+
To the first part add
1. K 2 CrO4 (Potassium A yellow precipitate Presence of Ba2+
Chromate) solution. confirmed

2. Flame test performed Green coloured flame Presence of Ba2+

confirmed
 Confirmatory test for
𝐒𝐫 𝟐+
1. To the second part add A scanty white Presence of Sr 2+
(NH4 )2 SO4 (Ammonium precipitate confirmed
sulphate) solution
Presence of Sr 2+
2. Flame test performed Crimson red flame confirmed

Confirmatory test for

𝐂𝐚𝟐+
1. To the third part add A thick white Presence of Ca2+
(NH4 )2 C2 O4 precipitate confirmed
(Ammonium oxalate)
Presence of Ca2+
2. Flame test performed Brick red flame confirmed

7. Test for group VI (𝐌𝐠 𝟐+ )

To a little of the salt White precipitate Presence of group VI

solution excess NH4 Cl Formed (Mg 2+ )
solution, NH4 OH and
Disodium hydrogen
Phosphate (Na2 HPO4 )
are added.

Confirmatory test for

group VI (𝐌𝐠 𝟐+ )
1. To salt solution add A blue precipitate Presence of Mg 2+
NaOH solution and 2-3 confirmed
drops of Magneson
reagent
2. Ash test performed Pink tinted ash Presence of Mg 2+
Confirmed