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+, Sr2+, Mg2+, Al 3+
double the quantity of may be 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.
on the white residue in the
charcoal cavity and heat it in
the oxidizing flame.

8) Flame test
Prepare a paste of salt with Brick red coloured flame Ca2+ present.
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 Cl-, Br-, I-, C2O42- may be
H2SO4 + 1 drop KMnO4 decolourised. present.

11) Conc. H2SO4 test

Salt + conc. H2SO4 , heat Colourless gas with a Cl- present.
pungent smell that gives
 white fumes with NH4OH
solution.

Confirmatory Test for sulphate (Cl-)

12) Silver nitrate test

Acidify aqueous salt solution White ppt soluble in Cl- confirmed.
with dil HNO3, boil, cool + ammonium hydroxide
AgNO3 solution. solution.

IDENTIFICATION OF BASIC RADICALS

13) 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)

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

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

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

17) OS + conc. HNO3 + No reddish brown/ white ppt Group III absent.
NH4Cl, Boil, cool and add
NH4OH

18) OS + conc. HNO3 + No white/black/buff coloured Group IV absent.

NH4Cl, Boil, cool and add ppt
NH4OH + H2S gas

19) O.S + NH4Cl, boil, cool+ White ppt formed Group V (Ba2+, Sr2+, Ca2+ )
NH4OH till it smells ammonia present
+ (NH4)2CO3

Confirmatory Test for Ca2+

20) White ppt + dil acetic White ppt formed.. Ca2+ confirmed.
acid, boil + ammonium
oxalate

CHEMICAL EQUATIONS:

CT for chloride (Cl-)

NaCl + AgNO 3 → AgCl ↓ + NaNO 3

White ppt
AgCl +2 NH4OH → [Ag(NH3)2]Cl +2H2O
Soluble complex

CT for Calcium (Ca2+)

CaCO3 + 2CH3COOH → (CH3COO)2Ca + CO2 ↑ + H2O

(CH3COO)2Ca + (NH4)2C2O4 → 2CH3COONH4 + CaC2O4 ↓

White ppt
RESULT TABLE:

Basic Radical Calcium (Ca2+)

Acidic Radical Chloride (Cl-)

Salt Calcium chloride (CaCl2)