SALT ANALYSIS

SCHEME OF ANALYSIS
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
PRELIMINARY EXAMINATIONS :
1) Noted the colour Colourless Absence of
Cu2+,Fe2+,Fe3+,Mn2+,Co2+,Ni2+
Blue Presence of Cu2+
Brown Presence of Fe3+
Green Presence of Ni2+
Pale pink Presence of Mn2+
Pink Presence of Co2+
2) Noted thesolubility a) Soluble and no a) Presence ofNH4+
a) Inwater precipitate
b) Indil. HCl withNa2CO3 b) Presence ofPb2+
b) Insoluble
3) Flame Test : a) Blue surrounded a) Presence ofCu2+
A little of the salt is made into bygreen
paste with conc. HCl. A glass rod b) Brickred b) Presence ofCa2+
is dipped in it and introduced c) Crimsonred c) Presence ofSr2+
into the flame. d) Bluishwhite d) Presence ofPb2+
e) Grassy green on e) Presence ofBa2+
prolonged
heating
4) Ash Test : a) Green ash a) Presence ofZn2+
A little of the salt is heated with b) Blue tinted ash b) Presence ofAl3+
con.HNO3 and cobalt nitrate c) Pale pink ash c) Presence ofMg2+
solution. A filter paper is
dipped in it andburnt.

SYSTEMATIC ANALYSIS OF ANIONS :

1) Dil. HCl test : a) Evolution of a) Presence ofcarbonate ion
To the salt add dil. HCl. Colourless, is identified
odourless gas
with brisk
effervescence,
turns limewater
milky.
2) Dil. H2SO4 test : b) Smell ofvinegar b) Presence of acetate ion is
To the salt dil. H2SO4 is added. identified
 3) Conc.H2SO4 test : a) Colourless gas a) Presence ofCl-1 is identified
Treat a small quantity of the with pungent
salt with Conc.H2SO4, warm if smell, givedense
necessary. white fumes
when a glass rod
dipped in NH4OH
is shown. b) Presence ofBr-1 is
b) Brown gas with identified
pungentsmell
c) Violet vapours c) Presence ofI -1is
with pungent identified
smell

4) Paper ball test : Brown fumes Presence of NO3-1 is identified

Heat a little of the salt with
Conc.H2SO4 and introduce a
paper ball to it.
5) Test for sulphates : White precipitate Presence of sulphate ion is
Heat a little of the salt solution insoluble in Conc. HCl identified
with dil. HCl and add BaCl2
solution.
6) Test for phosphates : Yellow precipitate Presence of phosphate ion is
Add Conc.HNO3 to the salt identified
solution and boil. Add excess of
ammonium molybdate solution
and boil again.

CONFIRMATORY TEST FOR ANIONS :

1) Carbonates : White precipitate Presence of carbonate ion is
Magnesium sulphate test : confirmed
To the salt solution add MgSO4
solution.
2) Chlorides:
a) MnO2 test: a) Greenish yellow Presence of chloride ion is
Heat a small quantity of salt gas with pungent confirmed
with Conc.H2SO4 and MnO2 smell

b) Silver nitrate test: b) White curdy

Acidify the salt solution with precipitate Presence of chloride ion
dil. nitric acid and add silver soluble in excess isconfirmed
nitrate solution. of NH4OH
3) Acetates:
a) Ester test:
To the salt add conc.H2SO4 a) Pleasant fruity Presence of acetate ion i s
and heat. Add alcohol. smell confirmed
Shake. Pour the contents
into a beaker containing
water.
b) Ferric chloride test: b) Reddish coloured
To the salt solution add precipitate
neutral ferric chloride
solution. Filter. Divide the Presence of acetate ion is
filtrate into two portions : I. Reddish colour confirmed
I. To one adddil.HCl. disappears
II. To the second, add II. Reddishprecipitate
water and boil
4) Sulphate:
a) To the salt solution add White precipitate Presence of sulphate ion is
dil.HCl and barium chloride insoluble in HCl confirmed
solution.
b) To the salt solution add White precipitate soluble Presence of sulphate ion is
acetic acid and lead acetate in hot confirmed
solution. ammonium acetate

5) Phosphate:
a) Ammonium molybdate test : a) Yellow precipitate Presence of phosphate ion is
To salt solutionadd confirmed
conc.HNO3 and boil. Add
ammonium molybdate and
heat again.
b) Magnesia mixture test:
To the salt solution add b) White precipitate Presence of phosphate ion is
magnesia mixture and allow confirmed
to stand.

6) Bromide:
a) To salt add conc.H2SO4and a) Dense brown Presence of bromide ion is
MnO2 fumes confirmed
b) To salt add dil.HCl andAgCl b) Pale yellow Presence of bromide ion is
precipitate confirmed
partiallysoluble
inNH4OH
7) Nitrate:
a) To a little salt add a) Brown vapours Presence of nitrate i o n i s
conc.H2SO4 and add cu and green confirmed
turnings and heat. solution
b) To salt solution add fresh b) Brown ring at the
FeSO4 and cool. junction between Presence of nitrate ion is
conc.H2SO4 is added
 dropwise along the
sides of the test
tube
ANALYSIS OF CATIONS:
1) To the salt solution add sodium
carbonate solution
2) To the solution add dil. HCl
3) To the solution add dil. HCl and
pass H2S
4) To the solution add solid
ammonium chloride and excess
of ammonium hydroxide
5) To the solution add solid
ammonium chloride and excess
of ammonium hydroxide. Pass
H 2S
6) To the solution add solid
ammonium chloride and excess
of ammonium hydroxide. Add
ammonium carbonate solution
7) To the solution add solid
ammonium chloride and excess
of ammonium hydroxide. Add
sodium hydrogen phosphate
ANALYSIS OF GROUP 0 (AMMONIUM)
1) To the salt solution add NaOH
solution. Warm.
2) To the salt solution. Add
Nesslers reagent.
two layer. confirmed
No precipitate Presence of zero group
(Ammonium) is identified
White precipitate Presence of group 1
(Pb2+) is identified
Black precipitate Presence of group 2
(Cu2+) is identified
White gelatinous Presence of group 3
precipitate (Al3+) is identified
White precipitate Presence of group 4
(Zn2+) is identified
White precipitate Presence of group5
(Ba2+,Sr2+,Ca2+) is identified
White precipitate Presence of group 6
(Mg2+) is identified
Smell of ammonia. Presence of ammonium ion is
Gives white dense identified
fumes when a glass rod
dipped in HCl is
introduced.
Brown precipitate Presence of ammonium ion is
confirmed
ANALYSIS OF GROUP 1(LEAD)
1) Potassium iodide test : Yellow precipitate Presence of lead ion is identified
To the salt solution add KI
solution
2) Potassium chromate Yellow precipitate Presence of lead ion is confirmed
test :
To the salt solution add
K2CrO4 solution

ANALYSIS OF GROUP 3(Aluminium)

1) The white precipitate obtained is Blue precipitate Presence of aluminium ion is
dissolved in dil.HCl floatingin identified
Add 2 drops of blue litmus colourlesssolution
solution. Then add ammonium
hydroxide dropwise till blue
colour develops.
2) Add excess of NaOH to the salt White precipitate soluble Presence of aluminium ion is
solution in identified
excess of NaOH
3) Ash test is conducted with the Blue ash Presence of aluminium ion is
group precipitate confirmed

ANALYSIS OF GROUP 4(Zn2+)

1) The white precipitate obtained a) White precipitate Presence of Zn2+ is identified
ingp.4 is dissolved in dil.HCl And soluble in excess
divided into two ofNaOH
a) To one part add NaOH in b) White/bluish
drops whiteprecipitate Presence of Zn2+ is identified
b) To the second part add
pot.ferrocyanide solution
2) Ash test is conducted with the Green ash Presence of Zn2+ confirmed
group precipitate

ANALYSIS OF GROUP 5(Ba2+, Sr2+,Ca2+)

Test for Ba :
Potassium chromate test :
1) To the salt solution add 1) Yellowprecipitate Presence of Ba2+is identified
K2CrO4solution.
2) Flame test is conductedwith 2) Grassy green flame Presence of Ba2+is confirmed
the group precipitate.
Test for Sr :
1) Add ammonium sulphate to the
saltsolution.
2) Flame test is conductedwith
the group precipitate.
Test for Ca :
1) To the salt solution add
ammonium oxalatesolution.
2) Flame test is conducted with
the groupprecipitate.
1) Whiteprecipitate Presence ofSr2+ is identified
2) Crimson red
flame Presence of Sr2+is confirmed
1) White precipitate Presence of Ca2+is identified
2) Brick redflame
Presence of Ca2+is confirmed

ANALYSIS OF GROUP 6(Mg2+)

Test for Mg2+ :
1) To the salt solution add
ammonium phosphate
solution.
2) Ash test is conducted with
group precipitate
1) White precipitate Presence of magnesium ion is
identified
2) Pale pink ash Presence of magnesium ion is
confirmed