SYSTEMATIC ANALYSIS OF A SIMPLE SALT

PRELIMINARY TEST:

S.No EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE

1 Note the colour of the salt Blue May be copper
Green May be Nickel
Light Pink May be Manganese
Dark Pink May be Cobalt
Brown May be Ferric
White Absence of Copper,
Nickel, Manganese,
Cobalt and Ferric
S.No EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
2 Flame Test: Brick Red Colour May be Calcium
Make a paste of the salt with Crimson Red Colour May be Strontium
Conc. HCl and introduce it into the Apple Green Colour May be Barium
nonluminous Bunsen flame. Bluish Green Colour May be Copper

S.No EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE

3 SOLUBILITY TEST: Take a little Salt Dissolves in water The salt is soluble
amount of salt in a test tube and
add water
4. ACTION OF HEAT: Take a pinch of Colourless, odourless gas which May be carbonate
the salt and heat it in a dry test turns lime water milky.
tube. Salt turns yellow when hot white May be Zinc
when cold.
Salt sublimes. Pungent smelling May be ammonium.
gas evolves.
Decrepitation occurs. Reddish May be nitrate.
brown gas evolves.

5. ASH TEST: Take a filter paper and Green colour ash. May be zinc.
dip it into the solution of salt
containing cobalt nitrate and Pink colour ash. May be Magnesium.
introduce into the non -luminous
part of the Bunsen flame. Blue colour ash. May be Aluminium.

TEST FOR ANIONS

6. Action of dil.HCl: Brisk effervescence turning lime May be Carbonate
To a pinch of the salt add dil.HCl water milky

Na2CO3 + 2HCl  2NaCl +H2O+CO2 CO2 + Ca(OH)2 CaCO3 +H2O

Colourless gas with the smell of May be Acetate

Vinegar
CH3COONa +HCl  NaCl +CH3COOH
Colourless gas with the rotten May be sulphide
egg smell turning lead acetate S2-
paper black

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Na2S + 2HCl  2NaCl +H2S H2S+ (CH3COO)2Pb  PbS +CH3COOH
Action of dil.HCl:
To a pinch of the salt add dil.HCl
Na2SO3 + 2HCl  2NaCl +H2O+SO2
NaNO2 + HCl  HNO2 +NaCl 3HNO2  HNO3+H2O +2NO
7. Action of Conc. H2SO4:
To a pinch of the salt add
Conc.H2SO4 and heat
2NaCl +H2SO4  Na2SO4 +2HCl
2NaBr +3H2SO4 2NaHSO4 +2H2O +SO2 +Br2
2NaI +3H2SO4 2NaHSO4 +2H2O +SO2 +I2
NaNO3 +H2SO4 HNO3 +Na2SO4 4HNO3  2H2O +O2 + 4 NO2
CH3COONa +H2SO4 CH3COOH +NaHSO4
8. Action of MnO2 and Conc.H2SO4 :
To a pinch of the salt add a little
MnO2 and Conc.H2SO4 and heat
2NaX+MnO2+3H2SO42NaHSO4+MnSO4+2H2O+X2
9. Action of Copper turnings and
Conc.H2SO4:
To a pinch of the salt add Cu
turnings and Conc.H2SO4 and heat
strongly
10. Test for Acetate:
To a solution of the salt add FeCl3
solution
Colourless gas with an irritating May be Sulphite
odour turning acidified SO32-
dichromate paper green.
3SO2 + Cr2O72-+2H+ 2Cr3++ 3SO42- +H2O
Brown fumes in the cold May be Nitrite
2NO+O2  2NO2
Colourless gas giving dense white May be Chloride
fumes with glass rod dipped in
NH3 solution
HCl+NH3NH4Cl
Reddish brown fumes turning May be Bromide
starch paper yellow
Violet vapours turning starch May be Iodide
paper Blue
Reddish brown fumes turning May be Nitrate No3-
ferrous sulphate solution black
Colourless gas with the smell of May be Acetate
Vinegar
Greenish yellow gas turning May be Chloride
starch iodide paper blue
Reddish brown vapours turning May be Bromide
starch paper yellow
Reddish brown fumes and a May be Nitrate
green solution
Blood red colouration Presence of acetate
CH3COO- confirmed
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FeCl3 +3CH3COONa  3NaCl+(CH3COO)3Fe

11. Test for Phosphate: Yellow precipitate Presence of phosphate

To a solution of the salt add PO43- confirmed
Conc.HNO3 and ammonium
molybdate solution

PO43-+ 12MoO42-+24H+  [PMo12O40]3- + 12H2O

12. Test for Sulphate: White ppt soluble in excess of hot May be Sulphate
To the salt solution add lead ammonium acetate SO42-
acetate soln followed by Pb2+ + SO42-  PbSO4
ammonium acetate soln and heat

Preparation of Sodium Carbonate Extract-Wet test for Anions:

To one part of the salt add three part of Sodium Carbonate and distilled water. Boil for 10
minutes and filter. The filtrate is the sodium carbonate extract.

EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE

Confirmatory Test for halide ion: Curdy white ppt soluble in NH4OH Presence of chloride Cl-
Neutralise a part of the extract with confirmed.
dil.HNO3 and add a few drops of Pale Yellow ppt sparingly soluble Presence of bromide Br-
AgNO3 followed by NH4OH soln. in NH4OH confirmed.

Yellow ppt insoluble in NH4OH Presence of iodide I-

confirmed.

Black ppt Presence of sulphide S-2

confirmed.
Ag+ + X-  AgX AgX + 2NH3  [Ag(NH3)2 ] X

Confirmatory Test for Sulphate and Thick white ppt insol in Conc.HCl Presence of sulphate SO42-
Sulphite: confirmed
Neutralise a part of the extract with
dil HCl and add BaCl2 soln White ppt sol in Conc.HCl Presence of sulphite SO3 2-

Ba2+ + SO4 2-  BaSO4 Ba2+ +SO3 2-  BaSO3

Brown ring test for nitrate: A brown ring is formed at the Presence of NO3 - confirmed
Neutralise a part of the extract with junction of the two layers
dil.H2SO4, then add FeSO4 solution
(freshly prepared) and conc.H2SO4
along the sides of the test tube.

NaNO3 +H2SO4  NaHSO4 +HNO3 4H+ + NO3- +3Fe2+  3Fe3+ +No + 2H2O
[Fe(H2O)6]2+ + NO  [Fe(H2O)5 NO +H2O

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 TESTS FOR CATIONS

GROUPWISE CLASSIFICATION OF CATIONS

GROUP CATIONS PRESENT CHEMICAL NATURE OF PPT

I Pb2+ Chloride
II Cu2+ Sulphide
III Al3+, Fe3+ Hydroxide
IV Zn2+,Mn2+,Ni2+,Co2+ Sulphide
V Ba2+,Sr2+,Ca2+ Carbonate
VI Mg2+

Group Separation:

Prepare a solution of the salt in distilled water and if not soluble in dil HCl.

This is the original solution (OS)

1.OS+dil HCl White ppt Presence of gp I Pb2+

2. OS+dil HCl + H2S gas (Instead of Black ppt Presence of gp II Cu2+

H2S we can use Ammonium
Sulphide)

3. OS+ solid NH4Cl + NH4OH White of Reddish brown ppt Presence of gp III Al3+, Fe3+

4. OS+ solid NH4Cl + NH4OH+H2S gas Dirty white, buff (light Presence of gp IV
(Instead of H2S we can use pink/peach) or black ppt Zn2+,Mn2+,Ni2+,Co2+
Ammonium Sulphide)

5. OS+ solid NH4Cl +

NH4OH+(NH4)2CO3 White ppt Presence of gp V Ba2+,Sr2+,Ca2+

6. OS+ solid NH4Cl + White ppt Presence of gp VI Mg2+

NH4OH+disodium hydrogen
phosphate

1) Pb2++2Cl-PbCl2
2) Cu2+ +S2-  CuS Pb2++S2-  PbS
3) M3+ +3OH-  M(OH)3 M3+ = Al3+, Fe3+
4) M2+ + S2-  MS M2+=Zn2+,Mn2+,Ni2+,Co2+
5) M2+ + CO32-  MCO3 M2+= Ba2+,Sr2+,Ca2+
6) MgSO4+NH4OH+Na2HPO4MgNH4PO4+Na2SO4+H2O

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 Analysis of gp O NH4++

1)To the salt add NaOH and warm. Pungent smelling gas Presence of ammonium
NH4+ + OH-  NH3 + H2O NH4+confirmed

Introduce a glass rod dipped in Dense white fumes

Conc.HCl NH3 + HCl  NH4 Cl

Introduce moist red litmus paper Red litmus turns blue

2)To the salt solution add Nessler’s Reddish brown ppt Presence of ammonium
reagent and NaOH. 2K2Hgl4 + NH3 + 3KOH NH4+confirmed
H2N.HgO.Hgl +7KI + 2H2O

Analysis of gp I Pb2+

Heat the white ppt of gp I with water until it dissolves and divide the soln into three parts.

1) To the first part add potassium Yellow ppt which dissolves on Presence of lead Pb2+
iodide soln heating and reappears on cooling confirmed
as golden spangles.
Pb2++ I - Pbl2

2) To the second part add Yellow ppt Presence of lead Pb2+

potassium chromate soln Pb2++ CrO42-  PbCrO4 confirmed

3) Cool the third part White crystals reappear Presence of lead Pb2+
confirmed

Analysis of gp II Cu2+

If the OS is blue it is copper and if it is colourless it is lead. Divide the blue OS into 2 parts.

1) To the first part add NH4OH Light blue ppt dissolving in excess Presence of Copper Cu2+
of NH4OH giving a deep blue soln confirmed
Cu2++ 4NH3 [Cu(NH3)4]2+

2) To the second part add Chocolate brown ppt Presence of Copper Cu2+
K4[Fe(CN)6] (Potassium Ferro 2Cu2++[Fe(CN)6]4- Cu2[Fe(CN)6] confirmed
cyanide) soln

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 Analysis of gp III Al3+, Fe3+

The reddish brown ppt of gp III indicates Fe3+. It is dissolved in dil.HCl and divided into 2 parts.

1)To the first part add Potassium Prussian blue ppt Presence of Ferric Fe3+
ferro cyanide soln 4Fe3+ + 3[Fe(CN)6]4-  confirmed
Fe4[Fe(CN6)3]

2) To the second part add Blood red ppt Presence of Ferric Fe3+
(Potassium thiocyanate) soln Fe3++ 3CNS- Fe(CNS)3 confirmed

The white ppt of gp III indicates Al3+. It is dissolved in dil HCl.

To the above solution add Blue A blue lake appears Presence of Aluminium Al3+
litmus soln and NH4OH in excess Al3+ + 3OH-  Al(OH)3 confirmed

Analysis of gp IV( Zn2+,Mn2+,Ni2+,Co2+)

The dirty white ppt of gp IV indicates Zn2+. It is dissolved in dil HCl and divided into 2 part

1)To the first part add NaOH in White ppt which dissolves in Presence of Zinc Zn2+
excess excess of NaOH confirmed
Zn2+ +OH-  Zn(OH)2
Zn(OH) 2+2NaOH  Na2[Zn(OH)4]

2) To the second part add Bluish white ppt Presence of Zinc confirmed
Potassium ferrocyanide soln 2Zn2++ [Fe(CN)6]4- Zn2[Fe(CN)6]

The buff coloured ppt of gp IV indicates Mn2+. It is dissolved in dil HCl and divided into 2 part

1)To the first part add NaOH White ppt turning brown Presence of Manganese Mn2+
Mn2+ +OH  Mn(OH)2 confirmed
Mn(OH)2  MnO(OH)2

2) To the second part add dil.HNO3, Pink colouration Presence of Manganese

Sodium bismuthate and dilute with 2Mn2++ 5NaBiO3+14H+  2MnO4- confirmed
water +5Na++5Bi3+ + 7H2O

If the OS is green and gp IV ppt black it is nickel. Divide the OS into 2 parts.

1)To the first part add NaOH Apple green ppt Presence of Nickel Ni2+
Ni2+ +2OH-  Ni(OH)2 confirmed

2) To the second part add dimethyl Rosy red ppt

glyoxime and NH4OH Ni2++ 2DMG Ni(DMG)2 Presence of Nickel confirmed

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 If the OS is pink and gp IV ppt black it is cobalt

To the OS add NaOH Blue ppt Presence of Cobalt Co2+

Co2+ + 2OH-  Co(OH)2 confirmed

Analysis of gp V Ba2+, Sr2+and Ca2+

Dissolve the while ppt of gp V in dil acetic acid, boil off CO2 and divide into 3 parts

1)To the first part add Potassium Yellow ppt Presence of Barium Ba2+
chromate soln. If no ppt is obtained Ba2+ +CrO42-  BaCrO4 confirmed

2)To the second part add ammonium White ppt Presence of Strontium Sr2+
sulphate. If still no ppt Sr2++ SO42- SrSO4 confirmed

3)To the third part add ammonium White ppt Presence of Calcium
oxalate soln. Ca2+ + C2O42-  CaC2O4 Ca2+confirmed

Analysis of gp VI Mg2+

To a soln of the salt add Magneson Sky blue ppt Presence of Magnesium
reagent and NaOH. Mg2+confirmed

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