Salt Analysis

Aim: To detect the acidic and basic radicals present in the given salt.
Test Observation Inference

1) Colour White Cu2+, Fe2+, Fe3+, Ni2+, Mn2+,

Co2+ absent.

2) Smell No specific odour NH4+, CH3COO-, S2- absent.

3) Density Heavy Salts of Pb2+, Ba2+ may be

present.

4) Deliquescence Salt does not absorb Chlorides of Zn2+, Mg2+

moisture absent.

5) Dry heating test

Heat a pinch of salt in a dry White residue Ba2+, Ca2+, Sr2+, Mg2+, Al 3+
test tube. may be present.

6) Charcoal cavity test

Mix a pinch of salt with White Residue Ba2+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Al 3+ may be
double the quantity of present.
Na2CO3 & heat the mixture on
charcoal cavity in reducing
flame.

7) Cobalt nitrate test

Add a drop of cobalt nitrate Black residue Nothing definite. .
solution to above white
residue in charcoal cavity &
heat it in oxidising flame.

8) Flame test
Prepare a paste of salt with No specific colour Nothing definite.
conc. HCl & introduce it into
the flame using a platinum
wire loop.

IDENTIFICATION OF ACIDIC RADICALS

9) Dilute H2SO4 test

Salt + dil. H2SO4 No gas evolved. CO32-, SO32-,NO2-, S2- absent.

10) KMnO4 test

Salt + dil. H2SO4 + boil + dil. Pink colour of KMnO4 is not Cl-, Br-, I-, C2O42-, absent.
H2SO4 + 1 drop KMnO4 decolourised.

11) Conc. H2SO4 test

Salt + conc. H2SO4 , heat No gas evolved. Cl-, Br -, I-, C2O42-, CH3COO-
absent.
 12) Test for SO42-
Salt + dil.HCl, boil + BaCl2 White ppt insoluble in conc SO42- present.
solution HCl.

Confirmatory Test for sulphate (SO42-)

13) Lead acetate test

Aqueous salt solution + lead White ppt soluble in excess of SO42- confirmed.
acetate solution. hot ammonium acetate
solution.

IDENTIFICATION OF BASIC RADICALS

14) Test for NH4+

Salt + conc.NaOH, boil and No brown ppt Group 0 (NH4+) absent.
add this solution into
Nessler’s reagent

Preparation of Original Solution (OS)

15) Salt + water, shake well. Salt is soluble in water. Label it as OS.

16) OS + dil HCl No white ppt Group I absent.

17) OS + dil HCl + H2S gas No black/yellow ppt Group II absent.

18) OS + conc. HNO3 + Gelatinous white ppt formed Group III (Al3+) present.
NH4Cl, Boil, cool and add
NH4OH

Confirmatory Test for Al 3+

Lake Test
White ppt + dil HCl + few A blue ppt suspended in a Al3+ confirmed.
drops of blue litmus solution colourless medium.
+ NH4OH in excess.

CHEMICAL EQUATIONS:

CT for sulphate (SO42-)

Na2SO4 + Pb(CH3COO)2 → PbSO4 + 2CH3COONa

White ppt

CT for aluminium (Al3+)

Al(OH)3 + 3 HCl → AlCl 3 + 3H2O

AlCl3 + 3 NH4OH → 3NH4Cl + Al(OH) 3 ↓
Blue colour adsorbs on this ppt

RESULT TABLE:

Basic Radical Aluminium (Al3+)

Acidic Radical Sulphate (SO42-)

Salt Aluminium sulphate Al 2(SO4)3