1

SYSTEMATIC QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS

S.NO. EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE

Preliminary Test

1 Colour: Presence of
Observe the colour of the Light green, Yellow Fe2+
salt carefully
Brown Fe3+
Blue Cu2+
Bright green Ni2+
Red, Violet, Pink Co2+
Light pink Mn2+
White (Colourless) Pb2+, Al3+, Zn2+, Ba2+,
Sr2+, Ca2+, Mg2+, NH4+
salts
2. Solubility:
To a little of the salt taken Soluble Presence of soluble
in a test tube add water
CO3 2–, CH3COO–, Cl-,
and shake well.
NO3-,SO42-

3. Action of heat: Presence of

Blue when cold and white when hot Cu2+
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Take about 0.1 g of the Green when cold and dirty white or yellow when hot Fe2+
dry salt in a clean and dry
White when cold and yellow when hot Zn2+
test tube.Heat the test
tube for about one minute Pink when cold and blue when hot Co2+
and observe the colour of
the residue when it is hot
and also when it becomes
cold.

4. Flame test: Presence of

Put 2-3 drops of
concentrated hydrochloric
Green flame Cu2+
acid on a clean watch
glass and make a paste of Crimson red Sr2+
a small quantity of the salt
in it. Dip a clean glass rod Apple green Ba2+
in this paste and introduce Brick red Ca2+
it in the non-luminous
(oxidising) flame. Observe
the colour of the flame
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5. Test with Dilute

Sulphuric Acid:
A colourless, odourless gas is evolved with brisk effervescence, which turns Presence of
Take 0.1 g of the salt in a lime water milky.
Carbonate (CO3 2–)
test tube and add 1–2 mL
of dilute sulphuric acid.
Observe the change, if
any, at room temperature.
If no gas is evolved, warm
the content of the test
tube.

Colourless vapours with smell of vinegar. Vapours turn blue litmus red. Presence of
Acetate, (CH3COO–)

6. Test with Concentrated

Sulphuric Acid:
Take 0.1 g of salt in a test
A colourless gas with pungent smell, which gives dense white fumes when a Presence of chloride,(Cl-)
tube and 3-4 drops of
rod dipped in ammonium hydroxide is brought near the mouth of the test tube.
conc. H2SO4. Observe the
change in the reaction
mixture in cold and then
warm it.
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Presence of nitrate(NO3-)
Brown fumes evolve which become dense upon heating.

7. Action of
Con.H 2SO4 with Presence of chloride, (Cl-
MnO2 )
A greenish yellow gas turning starch iodide paper violet (or) blue is
To a small amount of
obtained.
the given salt taken in
a test tube, add an
equal amount of
MnO2 and add a few
ml of Con.H2SO4 and
gently heat.

8. Action of Con.H 2SO4

with Cu turnings:
Mix a small amount Evolution of reddish brown gas turning acidified ferrous sulphate paper
of the given salt Presence of nitrate(NO3-)
brown is observed.
taken in a test tube
with a few Cu
turnings, add 2–3 ml
of conc.H2 SO4 and
heat it.
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9. Action of NaOH
To a pinch of the given A colourless gas with a pungent smell giving dense white fumes with
salt taken in a test tube, glass rod dipped in HCl is obtained. Presence of ammonium.
add few ml of 10%
NaOH solution and
gently warm it.

Confirmatory tests for Anions:

 Confirmatory (wet) tests for anions are performed by using water extract when salt is soluble in water and by using sodium carbonate extract
when salt is insoluble in water.
 Confirmation of CO32– is done by using aqueous solution of the salt or by using solid salt as such because sodium carbonate extract contains
carbonate ions.
 Water extract is made by dissolving salt in water.
Preparation of sodium carbonate extract
Take 1 g of salt in a 100 ml beaker or boiling tube. Mix about 3 g of solid sodium carbonate and add 15 ml of distilled water to it. Stir and boil
the content for about 10 minutes. Cool, filter and collect the filtrate in a test tube and label it as sodium carbonate extract.
S.NO. EXPERIMENT 6 OBSERVATION INFERENCE
1 Test for Carbonate (CO32-)
To about one or two ml of White precipitate soluble in dil. HCl. Confirms the
the aqueous solution add presence of
BaCl2 solution. carbonate.
To a portion of the above
ppt add dil. HCl.
2 Test for Acetate (CH3COO–)
Take 0.1 g of salt in a china Pleasant fruity odour Confirms the
dish. Add 1 ml of ethanol and presence of
i
0.2 ml conc. H2SO4 and heat. acetate.

ii. Take about 1or 2 ml of the Deep red colour appears. Confirms the
aq ue ou s presence of
On boiling a brown-red precipitate is formed.
sol ut i on/ extract in a test acetate.
tube and add neutral
FeCl3 solution. Boil.
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3 Test for Chloride ion [Cl–]

i. Take 1 ml of sodium carbonate A curdy white precipitate is obtained which is soluble in ammonium hydroxide Confirms the
extract in a test tube, acidify it solution. presence of
with dil. HNO3 or take water chloride.
extract and add silver nitrate
solution.

ii. Take 0.1 g salt and a pinch of

solid potassium dichromate in a
Reddish brown vapours evolve. Confirms the
test tube, add conc. H2SO4.
presence of
Heat
chloride.
Pass the gas evolved through It becomes yellow.
sodium hydroxide solution.
Acidify with acetic acid and add
lead acetate solution. A yellow precipitate is formed.

4. Test for Nitrate (NO3– )

To about 1 or 2 ml of extract A dark brown ring is formed at the junction of the two solutions. Confirms the
add dilute H2SO4 in drops presence of
until the effervescence nitrate.
ceases. Add 2- 3 drops of
freshly prepared FeSO4
 8

solution. Keeping the test

tube in a slanting position,
add Con.H2SO4 without
disturbing the solution.

5. Test for Sulphate SO42-

i. Take 1 ml of the salt solution or White precipitate insoluble in conc. HCl or conc. HNO3 is obtained. Confirms the
sodium carbonate extract and presence of
after acidifying with dilute sulphate.
hydrochloric acid add BaCl 2
solution.

ii. Acidify the aqueous solution or Appearance of white precipitate Confirms the
sodium carbonate extract with presence of
acetic acid and add lead sulphate
acetate solution.

6 Test for Phosphate ion

[PO43 – ]
Acidify sodium carbonate A canary yellow precipitate is formed. Confirms the
extract or the solution of the presence of
salt in water with conc. HNO3 phosphate.
and add ammonium molybdate
solution and heat to boiling.
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SYSTEMATIC ANALYSIS OF CATIONS

Preparation of Original Solution (OS)

To prepare the original solution, take a little amount of the salt in a clean boiling tube and add a few ml of distilled water and shake it. If the salt does
not dissolved, heat the content of the boiling tube till the salt completely dissolves.

Group Analysis
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S.No. EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE

Analysis of Zero group
cation (NH4+ ion)
To th e given salt
Brown precipitate is obtained. Presence of
solution add Nessler’s
ammonium ions
reagent and excess of
confirmed.
NaOH solution.

For the analysis of cations belonging to groups I-VI, the cations are precipitated from the original solution by using the group reagents according
to the scheme shown in the flow chart given below: The separation of all the six groups is represented as below:
 11
White ppt.
Group I
2+
present (Pb2+
2 and Hg )
If no ppt. pass H2S ( a d d y e l l o w a m m o n i u m s u l p h i d e ) through the given solution.
If a black ppt. is formed,

Group II cations are present (Cu2+, Pb2+ ).

If no ppt is obtained from the above, boil off H2S gas and add a
few drops of conc. HNO3 to the remaining solution. Cool, add
2-3g of solid NH4Cl. Boil again and add NH4OH solution till it
becomes alkaline.
If a ppt is formed, Group III cations are present.
Reddish brown ppt., Fe3+
Gelatinous white ppt., Al3+
If no precipitate is formed
pass H2S gas through the
above solution. If a
precipitate is formed, Group
IV cations are present.
Black ppt., Co2+, Ni2+
Flesh coloured ppt., Mn2+
White ppt., Zn2+.

If no ppt is formed, boil off

H2S gas add (NH4) 2CO3
solution.
If a white ppt is formed Group V cations are present
(Ba2+, Sr2+, Ca2+)

If no ppt.
Group VI cation is present (Mg2+)
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EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE

To the salt solution add dil. HCl White ppt. Presence of Group I (Pb2+ )

To the salt solution add dil. HCl and pass H2S Black ppt. Presence of Group II (Pb2+ , Cu2+)
(or yellow ammonium sulphide solution)
To the salt solution add excess NH4Cl followed Presence of Group III
by NH4OH Gelatinous white ppt. Al3+
Fe2+
Green ppt. Fe3+
Reddish brown ppt.

To the salt solution add NH4Cl and NH4OH and Presence of Group IV
pass H2S (or yellow ammonium sulphide White ppt. Zn2+
solution). Black ppt. Co2+, Ni2+
Buff colour ppt Mn2+

To the salt solution add NH4Cl , NH4OH and White ppt. Presence of Group V (Ba2+,Sr2+,Ca2+)
(NH4)2CO3
To the salt solution add NH4Cl and NH4OH and White ppt. Presence of Group VI (Mg2+ )
Na2HPO4
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To the original solution, add Dil. HCl.

Group I (lead):
Group I precipitate is dissolved by heating the precipitate with dil.HNO3 or distilled water. Divide the solution into 3 portions
and carry out the following reactions.
Experiment Observation Inference
Test for Pb2+:
1 To one portion of the above solution A white precipitate of PbSO4 is obtained. Presence of Pb2+ is
add dilute H2SO4. confirmed.

2 To another portion, add potassium A yellow precipitate of PbCrO4 is obtained. Presence of Pb2+ is
chromate solution. confirmed.

The yellow precipitate (PbCrO4) is soluble in hot NaOH

solution.

3 Golden Spangles Test: A yellow precipitate is obtained. The presence of

To the 3rd portion, add KI solution. Pb2+ is confirmed.

To above yellow precipitate,

add some H2O, boil and then cool.
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Precipitate dissolves and reappears in the form of

golden spangles.

Group II (𝐶𝑢 2+):

The group 2 precipitate is dissolved by heating with dilute HCl. Precipitate dissolves.

S Experiment Observation Inference

2+
Test for Cu :

A pale blue precipitate which dissolves in 2+

1 Presence of Cu is
To one portion of the above solution add
excess NH4OH to give an inky blue solution. confirmed.
drops of NH4OH, until it is in excess.

2+
2 Presence of Cu is confirmed.
To another portion, add dilute acetic acid A chocolate brown ppt.
and potassium ferrocyanide, [K4(Fe(CN6)]
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Group III:
Group III precipitate is heated with Con. HCl and water, cooled and filtered.
3+
.Gelatinous white precipitate indicates Al
3+
Reddish brown precipitate indicates Fe
2+
Green precipitate indicates Fe
 16

S.NO. Experiment Observation Inference

Test for Al3+ :

1 Lake Test Presence of Al
3+
confirmed.
Formation of a blue floating ppt. in
Gelatinous white precipitate colourless solution. (This is known as Lake
dissolves in minimum quantity of dil. test)
HCl. To this, add a few drops of
blue litmus solution.

Add NH4OH solution in excess. A blue ppt.,suspended in a colourless

medium (called a lake)

2 To one part of the OS add NaOH White precipitate soluble in excess of Presence of Al3+ confirmed
solution NaOH solution.

3 Ash Test:
3+
To a pinch of given salt taken in a test Blue tinted ash is obtained. Presence of Al confirmed
tube, add a few drops of Con.H2SO4
and Co(NO3)2. Mix it well. Dip one
filter paper bit in a bunsen flame.
After it burns remove it from flame.
Observe the colour of the ash
formed.
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Test for Fe3+

(i) To one part of OS, add few drops of

potassium ferrocyanide solution. A deep blue colour or ppt. is obtained. 3+
Presence of Fe confirmed
(ii) To another portion add few drops of
potassium sulphocyanide solution. A deep red colouris obtained.
3+
Presence of Fe confirmed

Group IV :

Group IV precipitate is warmed with dilute HCl centrifugate

2+ 2+
Black precipitate indicates Co or Ni

White precipitate indicates Zn2+ .

2+
Flesh (buff) colour precipitate indicates Mn .
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S.NO. Experiment Observation Inference

2+
Test for NI :

To one part o f O S add dimethyl A Red rosy precipitate confirms the Presence of Ni2+ confirmed.
glyoxime reagent followed by Con. presence of Ni
2+

NH4OH, till the solution becomes

alkaline.
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Test for Zn2+:

. Presence of Zn2+ confirmed.

1 To one part of OS add Potassium Bluish White ppt
ferrocyanide solution

2 To second part of solution add

NaOH. White ppt soluble in excess of NaOH is Presence of Zn2+ confirmed
obtained.

3 Ash Test:
To a pinch of given salt taken in a test Green tinted ash is obtained. Presence of Zn2+ confirmed.
tube, add a few drops of Con.H2SO4,
Co(NO3)2. Mix it well. Dip one filter
paper bit in a bunsen flame. After it
burns remove it from flame. Observe
the colour of the ash formed.
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Test for Mn2+:

To one part of the OS add NaOH A white precipitate is formed which turns Presence of Mn2+ confirmed.
solution. brown on exposure to air brown.

A pink colouration is produced. 2+

Lead peroxide test Presence of Mn confirmed.

To the second part of the OS add a

little of PbO2 powder and conc.
HNO3.Boil, cool and allow to
stand.

Group V :
Take a small portion of Group V precipitate, carry out flame test.
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2+
Test for Barium, Ba2+ Yellow ppt. Presence of Ba confirmed.

1 Potassium chromate test.

To one part of the OS, add a few
drops of K2CrO4 solution.

2 Dil. H2SO4 Test 2+

Presence of Ba confirmed.
To another portion of the above White ppt.
solution, add a few drops of dil.
H2SO4 – white ppt. insoluble in
HCl.
.

2+
Test for Stronium Sr
2+
If Ba is absent, 2+
Presence of Sr confirmed.
To the second part of the OS add a White ppt.
few drops of ammonium sulphate
solution.
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2+
Test for Calcium Ca
If both Ba2+ and Sr2+ absent

White ppt. 2+
Ammonium oxalate test. Presence of Ca confirmed.
To the third portion of the OS, add
ammonium oxalate solution and
then a d d NH4OH solution to make
it alkaline and scratch the sides of
the test tube

Grop VI cation: Mg2+

Test for Mg2+:

1 Ammonium phosphate test.
To the OS solution, add solid NH4Cl, White crystalline ppt. Presence of Mg
2+
confirmed.
warm to dissolve, cool and add
NH4OH solution in slight excess.
Then add ammonium phosphate
solution, shake well and allow to
stand.

White crystalline ppt. 2+

2 To the OS, add disodium hydrogen Presence of Mg confirmed.
phosphate.

3 Ash Test:
To a pinch of given salt taken in a test 2+
Presence of Mg confirmed
tube, add a few drops of Con.H2SO4,
Co(NO3)2. Mix it well. Dip one filter
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paper bit in a Bunsen flame. After it Pink tinted ash is obtained.

burns remove it from flame.
Observe the colour of the ash
formed.
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