Practical Chemistry

#Preliminary Test with Dilute Sulphuric Acid

1. Mixture + Dilute Sulphuric Acid = Colourless Gas Evolved (When Cold): - Carbonate will be suspected.

Confirmation: - Evolved Gas + Lime Water = Solution Turns Milky (With Excess Gas Milky Colour
Disappeared)

2. Mixture + Dilute Sulphuric Acid = Reddish Brown Fumes Evolved (When Cold): - Nitrite will be
suspected.

Confirmation: - Mixture + Dilute Sulphuric Acid + Fresh Starch Solution + Fresh Potassium Iodide Solution
= Blue Colour

3. Mixture + Dilute Sulphuric Acid = Colourless Gas (in hot) with smell of Rotten Egg (Hydrogen Sulphide
Smell): - Sulphide will be suspected

Confirmation: - Paper Dipped in Lead Acetate becomes black when exposed to gas.

OR

Mixture + Sodium Nitroprusside (few drops) + Sodium carbonate extract = Violet/Purple Colour

4. Mixture + Dilute Sulphuric Acid =Colourless Gas when hot (Choking Smell of Burning Sulphur): -
Sulphite will be suspected

Confirmation: - Filter Paper with acidified dichromate Solution = Paper will be green on exposure to gas.

OR

Decolourise Potassium Permanganate solution.

5. Mixture + Dilute Sulphuric Acid = White/Yellowish turbidity on warming: - Thiosulphate will be

suspected .
Confirmation:- Silver Nitrate Test: - Thiosulphate + Silver Nitrate = White ppt of silver thiosulphate and it
turns into black on adding hydrochloric acid.

6. Mixture + Dilute Sulphuric Acid = smell of vinegar evolute (No fumes): - Acetate will be suspected.

Confirmation: - In watch glass rub the mixture with solid oxalic acid + few drops water = vinegar smell.
#Preliminary Test with Concentrated Sulphuric Acid.

1. Mixture + Conc. Sulphuric Acid = Colourless pungent smell: - Chloride will be suspected.

Confirmation: -(a) Mixture + Pinch of Magnes oxide = pale green colour

OR
(b) Mixture + Dil. Nitric acid + Heat, then filter the solution (if no clear) and filtrate + silver
nitrate = curdy white ppt formed which is soluble in ammonium hydroxide.

2. Mixture + Conc. Sulphuric Acid = Reddish Brown Vapours (and it intensify on addition of Magnes
oxide and when it passed in water the colour of water becomes yellow.

Confirmation: -Chromyl Chloride Test: -1 volume mixture + 3 volume potassium dichromate +

concentrated sulphuric acid = Dark red vapours evolved. Then pass these vapours into dilute sodium
hydroxide, the solution becomes yellow. And acidify it with dilute acetic acid and then add lead acetate
solution, yellow ppt of lead chromate is obtained.
If the yellow ppt dissolves in sodium hydroxide and reappears when excess of acetic acid is added,
chloride is confirmed.

3. Mixture + Conc. Sulphuric Acid =Violet pungent vapours evolved and when the vapors passed on
starch paper, the paper becomes blue: - Iodide will be suspected.

Confirmation: -Acidify sodium carbonate extract with dilute nitric acid and add silver nitrate solution
then yellow ppt is formed which is insoluble in ammonium hydroxide.

4. Mixture + Conc. Sulphuric Acid = Light brown gas evolved and this gas increases on addition of
cu-turnings: -Nitrate will be suspected.

Confirmation: -Ring Test: -Soda extract + dilute sulphuric acid + 4 ml concentrated sulphuric acid and
mix it. Cool the test tube with water stream and then make the test tube to be stand in slanting position
and then add ferrous sulphate slowly and then keep the test tube straight for 3 minutes. A sharp brown
ring will be observed at the junction of two layers.

#Interfering Tests: -
1. Oxalate: - Mixture + Conc. Sulphuric Acid = Colourless gas evolved and it turns lime water milky
and burns with a blue flame: - Oxalate will be suspected.

Confirmation: -2ml sodium carbonate extract + acidify with acetic acid + Calcium chloride in excess, the
white ppt will be obtained. And filter the white ppt and extract it with hot dilute sulphuric acid and now
add few drops of dilute potassium permanganate solution. The pink colour of potassium permanganate
disappears.

2. Fluoride: - Mixture + Conc. Sulphuric Acid =Colourless pungent smelling fumes evolved
Confirmation: -Sand + Mixture + 1-2 ml Concentrated sulphuric acid + heat and bring a glass tube
moistened with water near the test tube without touching walls and solution then a white deposition on
the rod shows the presence of fluoride.

3. Tartrate: - Mixture + Conc. Sulphuric Acid + Heat = charring occurs and the solution becomes
black and smell of burnt sugar is obtained.

Confirmation: -Take water extract or soda extract neutralized with dilute nitric acid in a test tube. In
another clean test tube take 5-10 ml of silver nitrate solution (10%) and add 2 drops of dilute
ammonium hydroxide solution and now add dilute ammonium hydroxide drop by drop until the ppt
redissolves. Now introduce 0.5 - 1.0 ml of neutral tartrate solution. Place this test tube in a beaker
containing water and then warm. After sometime, if a bright silver mirror is formed, tartrate is present.

4. Phosphate: -(Confirmation Included) Mixture + 3ml of Conc. Nitric Acid + boil +excess of
ammonium molybdate solution + heat on 40 degree Celsius. If crystalline canary yellow ppt is
produced, then phosphate is present and this ppt is soluble in ammonium hydroxide and in
sodium hydroxide.
5. Borate: - In a porcelain dish, take a little mixture add to it 1 ml concentrated sulphuric acid and 1
ml of ethyl alcohol. Heat slightly and bring burning after on the dish. Green flame shows the
presence of Borate.

Confirmation: - Test with calcium difluoride: - In a watch glass or porcelain dish, mix calcium difluoride
and mixture in equal amounts and make the thick paste of it with concentrated sulphuric acid. Keep a
little paste on the tip of glass rod and bring it close to the flame without touching the flame. The green
flame appears which confirms borate.