GENERAL PROCEDURE FOR IDENTIFICATION OF A SIMPLE SALT

EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE

Preliminary Examination

a) Colour of the Green Ni2+

Substance Light Green Ferrous Salts
Blue Copper Salts Cu2+
Buff (Pale Pink) Manganous Salts
Brown Ferric Salts
Dark Brown Ferric Salts
b) State Crystalline (or)
Amorphous
c) Odour Smell of Ammonia Ammonium Salt
Vinegar like smell CH3COO-

d) Solubility: Soluble in cold water Original solution can

A small quantity of the salt is taken in Soluble in hot water be prepared by
a test tube and its solubility is tested. Soluble in cold dil. HCl using _______
Soluble in hot dil. HCl
Soluble in cold HNO3
Dry Tests
i) A white sublimate is formed Ammonium salt
a) Action of Heat : colourless gas with the smell
A small quantity of the substance is of NH3 is evolved. The gas
taken in a dry test tube and then heated turns red litmus blue.
strongly. ii) The substance loses water of
crystallization. Hydrated salt
iii) The substance is yellow when
hot and white when cold. Zinc salt
iv) The substance is blue and
becomes colourless on Hydrated Copper
heating. Sulphate
v) The substance changes
yellow to orange red on Lead salt
heating.
vi) Reddish brown gas with
pungent smell is evolved. The Nitrate
gas has no action over AgNO3
solution

b) Flame Test :
A small quantity of the substance is Blue (or) Bluish Green Copper
placed on the watch-glass. It is moistened Brick Red Calcium
with a few drops of conc. HCl. A little of Light Apple Green Barium
the paste is taken on a loop of a platinum Flashes of Green Zinc
wire and introduced at the base of non- Pale Green fleeting Manganese
luminous flame. It is slowly raised to the Crimson red Strontium
top of the flame. The colour of the flame
is observed.
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Identification of Anion

I) Action of dil. H2SO4 1) A colourless and odourless Carbonate is

To a little substance dil H2SO4 is gas is evolved with quick present.
added effervescence, turns lime
water milky.
2) colourless gas, smell like that S2- is present
of rotten eggs, turns lead
acetate paper black
Confirmatory Test for Carbonate:-
1. Dil HCl test: To the salt solution, dil A colourless and odourless gas Carbonate is
HCl is added. is evolved with quick present.
effervescence, which turns lime
water milky
2. Magnesium Sulphate test: To the salt White ppt. Is obtained Carbonate is
solution MgSO4 solution is added. present.
3. To the salt solution Barium Chloride A white precipitate is formed.It is Carbonate is
solution is added. The test tube is soluble in dil HCl. present.
warmed if necessary.
Confirmatory Test for sulphide:
1) add few drops of sodium nitro prusside Purple or violet colouration is Sulphide is
to a small portion of sulphide solution obtained confirmed
in a test rube
2) to the aqueous solution, add dil. Acetic A black ppt is formed Sulphide is
acid and then add lead acetate confirmed
solution
3) to a portion of aqueous solution, A yellow ppt is formed Sulphide is
cadmium carbonate is added confirmed
1) A colourless gas with
II) Action of conc, H2SO4 pungent odour is evolved.
To a little of the substance conc. H2SO4 is The gas produces white May be Chloride
added dense fumes with a drop of
ammonia exposed on a
glass rod, white ppt. with
AgNO3
2) Reddish brown vapours are May be Bromide
evolved. The gas turns a
drop of Ag NO3 to pale
yellow, does not turn FeSO4
solution black, turns starch
paper yellow.

The test tube is heated
 1) Reddish brown vapours are May be Nitrate
evolved. When a drop of
AgNO3 is exposed on glass
rod, no precipitate is formed
but turns FeSO4 solution
turns black, turns wet iodide
starch paper blue.
2) Colourless vapours, vinegar May be CH3COO-
smell, turn blue litmus red.
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Confirmatory Test for Chloride
i) Silver nitrate test
Acidify a portion of aqueous solution (or A white ppt. is formed which is
sodium carbonate extract) with dil. HNO3. soluble in ammonium hydroxide. Chloride is present
Boil for some time, cool and add silver
nitrate
solution.
ii) (Chromyl Chloride Test for chloride )
The salt is mixed with a little K2Cr2O7. The
mixture is treated with con H2SO4 and Reddish brown vapours are
warmed. The vapours are passed into a evolved Chloride is present
test tube containing water.

Lead acetate solution is added to it. An yellow precipitate is formed

ii) Acidify a portion of aqueous solution A white curdy ppt is formed. It is
with dil HNO3. Boil for some time, cool soluble in dilute ammonia but Chloride is present
and add AgNo3 solution. insoluble in cinc. HNO3
iii) The salt is mixed with a pinch of MnO2. Greenish yellow gas with
The mixture is taken in a test tube and pungent smell is evolved. It turns
conc.H2SO4 is added. moist starch – iodide paper blue.
Confirmatory Test for Bromide
1. Acidify a portion of aqueous solution A pale yellow ppt is formed. It is Bromide is present
with dil HNO3. Boil for some time, partly soluble in NH4OH but
cool and add AgNo3 solution. insoluble in HNO3

2. The salt is mixed with a pinch of Yellowish brown vapours are

MnO2. The mixture is taken in a test evolved. The vapours condense to
tube and a little con.H2SO4 is added. a red liquid on the sides of the test Bromide is present
It may be warmed. tube, turns starch paper yellow.
Confirmatory Test for Nitrate
1. Brown Ring Test: Add a small A dark brown ring is formed at Nitrate is present
quantity of freshly prepared solution the junction of the layers of the
of FeSO4 to the aq solution of the acid and the solution.
salt and then add H2SO4 drop by
drop along the sides of the test tube
2. The salt is taken in a test tube 1 or 2 Reddish brown vapours are Nitrate is present
copper turnings are added and evolved. The liquid in the test
con.H2SO4 added and heated. tube turns blue.
Confirmatory test for acetate:
1. FeCl3 test: add neutral FeCl3 Reddish coloured filtrate. acetate is present
solution to the salt solution
i) to one part add dil.HCl Reddishcolour disappears acetate is present
ii) to second part add water and boil Reddish brown ppt. acetate is present
2. Ester test: Take a small quantity of
the mixture in a test tube. Add con. Pleasant fruity smell of ester. acetate is present
H2SO4 ( 2ml) and heat. Now add ethyl
alcohol(1ml). Shake. Pour the contents
of the tube in a beaker full of water. Stir
3. Oxalic acid test: Take a small quantity
of the salt on the watch glass. Mix it
with solid Oxalic acid. Prepare paste of Smell like that of vinegar. acetate is present
it with a few drops of water. Rub the
paste and smell.
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Test for sulphate

1. To a part of the aq solution, A white ppt. is formed. The Sulphate is present

add Barium chloride solution ppt. is insoluble in con.HCl.
is added
2. Lead acetate test: To a part A white ppt. Is formed which is Sulphate is present
of the aq solution, add lead soluble in excess of hot
acetate solution. ammonium acetate solution
3-
Test for Phosphate, PO4 :
1. Ammonium molybdate test: A deep yellow ppt. Or Phosphate
To the aqueous solution, colouration is obtained.
add con. HNO3 and boil. Add
Ammonium molybdate
solution is added in excess.
2. To the sodium carbonate A violet ppt. is formed. Phosphate
extract, add cobalt nitrate
solution.
To the above ppt., add The ppt. is dissolved. Phosphate
acetic acid solution.
3. Add magnesia mixture ( to A white ppt. Is obtained Phosphate
prepare it, add solid NH4Cl
to MgCl2 solution. Boil, cool
and add NH4OH till a strong
of ammonia is obtained) and
allow to stand

IDENTIFICATION OF CATIONS

Tests for NH4+ ion : A Pungent odour of ammonia is
pinch of salt is taken in a test
tube and is warmed with
NaOH solution
The evolved vapours are
tested with
a) Con.HCI
b) Nessler’s reagent
c) Moist red litmus
NH4+ ion is present
evolved
It gives dense white fume with a NH4+ ion is confirmed
drop of con.HCl exposed on a
glass rod
Brown ppt. Is formed NH4+ ion is confirmed
It turns moist red litmus blue
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PREPARATION OF ORIGINAL SOLUTION :

The original solution is prepared by dissolving a pinch of the salt in ________________________

GROUP SEPARATION TABLE

To the original solution dil.HCl is added.

ppt. is formed To the above solution H2S gas is passed

Ppt. is formed
II group is The original solution is saturated with NH4CI, NH4OH is added in
I group is
present excess
present
may be Cu2+
may be Pb2+

Pb2+– White Cu2+ – Black Ppt. is formed To the above solution, H2S gas is passed
As3+ - yellow
III group is
present may be Ppt. is formed The original solution is
Fe2+, Fe3+, Al3+ saturated with NH4Cl,
Fe2+– dull green IV group is excess of NH4OH and
Fe3+– Reddish present may be (NH4)2CO3 are added
brown Zn2+, Mn2+,
Al3+ - white ppt. is formed
Zn2+– white V group is present may
Mn2+ – flesh (Buff) be Ca2+, Ba2+
colour Sr2+
Ni2+ -greenish Ca2+– white
colour Ba2+– white
Co2+ - deep violet Sr2+ - White

VI tested for Mg2+

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CONFIRMATORY TESTS FOR CATIONS

I. Confirmatory Tests for Ist Group Cations (Pb2+)

Experiment Observation Inference

1. To the original solution, K2CrO4 Yellow ppt. is formed Confirms Pb

solution is added
2. To the original solution KI Yellow ppt. is formed. It dissolves in Confirms Pb
solution is added boiling water on cooling golden yellow
spangles are formed.

II. Confirmatory Test for II Group Cations (Cu +2)

1. To the original solution NH4OH A bluish green ppt is formed. It dissolves Confirms Cu
is added in excess in excess of ammonia
2. To the original solution KI
solution is added A white ppt. and deep brown solution is Confirms Cu
3. To the original solution formed
Potassium ferrocyanide A chocolate brown ppt is formed. Confirms Cu
solution is added

II. Confirmatory Test for II Group Cations (As +3)

1. To the original solution A yellow ppt Confirms As
ammonium molybdate
solution is added and heat

2. Magnesia Mixture test: to the A white ppt Confirms As

original solution alkaline with
NH4OH solution and add
magnesia mixture ( contains
solutions of MgSO4, NH4Cl
and NH4OH mixed in equal
volume)

III. Confirmatory Test for III Group Cations (Fe 2+, Fe 3+ Al 3+)

1. To the original solution NH4Cl a) A dull green ppt. is formed . It is Confirms Fe2+
and NH4OH are added soluble in acids.
b) A reddish brown ppt. is formed . It is Confirms Fe3+
soluble in acids.
c) A white gelatinous ppt. is formed . It is Confirms Al3+
soluble in alkalies.

2. To the original solution a) A pale blue ppt is obtained Confirms Fe2+

potassium Ferro Cyanide b) A deep blue ppt is obtained. Confirms Fe3+
solution is added c) No reaction Confirms Al3+

3. Lake test. Dissolve the white Blue ppt. floating in the colourless Confirms Al3+
ppt. in dilute hydrochloric acid. solution.
Add to it two drops of blue litmus
solution. To this, add NH4OH
dropwise till blue colour develops.
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IV. Confirmatory Test for IV Group Cations (Zn2+,Mn2+)

1. To the original solution NaOH a) A white gelatinous ppt is formed. It is Confirms Zn

solution is added soluble in excess of NaOH
b) A whit ppt is formed then add Br2 water
to white ppt., turns black / brown. It is Confirms Mn
insoluble in excess of NaOH

2. Original solution is treated with A white ppt is formed. It is soluble in Confirms Zn

Potassium ferrocyanide dilute acids and alkalis
solution is added
3. Borax bead test: perform borax Pinkish bead in oxidizing flame and Confirms Mn
bead test with the salt. colourless bead in reducing flame

V. Confirmatory Tests for V Group Cations (Ba2+, Ca2+, Sr2+)

1. To the original solution K2CrO4 a) Yellow ppt is formed. It is soluble in Confirms Ba
solution is added. dilute HCl.
b) No ppt. Confirms Ca
2. To the original solution, a) A white ppt is formed. It is soluble in Confirms Ba
ammonium oxalate is added. dilute acetic acid.
b) A white ppt is formed. It is insoluble in Confirms Ca
acetic acid.
3. Ammonium sulphate test: to White ppt Confirms Sr
the original solution
ammonium sulphate solution
is added
4. Flame test: perform flame test Grassy green flame visible through blue Confirms Ba
with the original salt. glass
Crimson red flame visible through blue Confirms Sr
glass
Brick red flame – yellow through blue Confirms Ca
glass
VI. Test for Mg2+ion
1. Ammonium phosphate test: to
a part of the original solution, A white ppt is formed. Confirms Mg
add some solid ammonium
chloride and ammonium
hydroxide in slight excess.
Then add ammonium
phosphate solution and rub
the side of the test tube with a
glass rod.
2. To the original solution NH4OH A white ppt is formed. Confirms Mg
is added.

3. To the original solution A white ppt is formed. Confirms Mg

(NH4)2CO3 is added.