SALT No.

PRELIMINARY TESTS:
S.No Experiment Observation Inference

1 Noted the colour White Absence of Co2+,

Fe2+, Ni2+ and Cu2+
2. Noted the odour May be the presence
Vinegar odour of CH3COO-
ii) Rotten egg smell S2-
iii) Pungent odour NH4+
3. Flame test.
A paste of salt with Con.HCl is Brick red flame colour May be the
brought to the flame using a glass Apple green flame colour presence of Ca2+
rod. Crimson red flame colour Ba2+
Theory Sr2+
Electrons from the valence shell of
these atoms absorb energy and
exited to the higher energy levels.
These electrons emit the
complimentary radiations in the
visible region and impart the
respective colour to the flame.

4. Ash test
salt + few drops of conc. HNO3 + Blue ash May be the presence
Cobalt nitrate and boiled. Dipped a Green ash of Al 3+
filter paper into the boiled mixture Pink ash Zn2+
& burnt to ash. Mg2+

INDICATORY TESTS FOR ANIONS / ACID RADICALS:

1. A little of the salt is treated with i) Effervescence of CO32- may be

Dilute H2SO4. Collect the CO2 gas colorless odorless gas present.
evolved in a test tube and add lime turning lime water milky.
water into it.

(i) Na2CO3 + H2SO4 → Na2SO4 + H2O +CO2(Effervescence)

2. A little of the salt is heated with Evolution of white fumes Cl - may be present.
Conc. H2SO4. Show a glass rod with pungent irritating
dipped in NH4OH on to the mouth smell, becomes a dense
of the test tube. white fumes.

1
 NaCl + H2SO4 → NaHSO4 + HCl ,
HCl +NH4OH → NH4Cl + H2O
Dense white fumes

3. Salt is heated with Conc. H2SO4 & Evolution of brown fumes NO3- may be
add a small paper ball present.

NaNO3+ H2SO4→NaHSO4+ HNO3

4HNO3 + C → CO2 + 4NO2 + 2H2O
Brown fumes
4. A little of the salt is rubbed with Vinegar smell CH3COO- may be
dilute H2SO4 on a watch glass present.
using a glass rod and smell the tip
of the glass rod
(CH3COO)2Pb + H2SO4  2CH3COOH + PbSO4
White ppt
5. Salt solution + Conc. HNO3+ Yellow precipitate PO43- may be
ammonium molybdate solution + present
Heat
(NH4)3 PO4+3(NH4)2MoO4→ 2(NH4)3PO4+3Na2MoO4
Na2MoO4+2HNO3→H2MoO4+ 2NaNO3
H2MoO4→MoO3+ H2O
(NH4)3PO4+12MoO3+6H2O→ (NH4)3PO4.12MoO3.6H2O
Yellow precipitate
6 Salt solution. + Barium Chloride White precipitate insoluble SO42- may be
solution in dilute HCl present.

Na2SO4 + BaCl2→ BaSO4 + 2NaCl

White ppt
BaSO4 + 2HCl No reaction

CONFIRMATORY TESTS FOR ANIONS:

For Carbonate:
1. Salt solution + BaCl2 solution White precipitate soluble in CO32- confirmed.
dilute HCl
Na2CO3+BaCl2→BaCO3+2NaCl
White ppt
BaCO3+2HCl BaCl2 +CO2 + H2O
For Chloride ion:
2. Salt solution + Silver nitrate Curdy white precipitate Cl- confirmed.
Soluble in NH4OH
NaCl+AgNO3→AgCl+NaNO3
White ppt
AgCl+2NH4OH→[Ag(NH3)2]Cl+ 2H2O
Soluble complex
For Nitrate ion
1. Brown ring test: Brown ring at the junction NO3- confirmed
of two liquids

2
 Salt solution. + Freshly prepared
FeSO4 Solution . Add con. H2SO4
Through sides of test tube

NO3- + 3Fe2+ + 4H+  NO + 3Fe3+ + 2H2O

[Fe(H2O)6]2+ + NO  [Fe(H2O)5NO]2+ + H2O

For Acetate ion:

1. Salt solution + neutral FeCl3 Reddish brown precipitate CH3COO-
solution confirmed
3CH3COONa+FeCl3→ (CH3COO)3Fe+3NaCl
Reddish brown precipitate
For Phosphate ion:
1. Salt solution + Silver Nitrate Yellow precipitate PO43- confirmed
solution
(NH4)3PO4 +3AgNO3  Ag3(PO4) + 3 NH4NO3

For Sulphate ion:

1. Salt solution + Lead acetate White precipitate soluble in SO42- confirmed
solution NH4OH
MgSO4 + (CH3COO)2Pb  PbSO4 + (CH3COO)2Mg
PbSO4 + 2NH4OH  (NH4)2SO4 + Pb(OH)2

BASIC RADICALS & GROUP REAGENTS ( For Viva)

Group Group reagent Basic Radicals
0 Na2CO3 solution NH4+
1 Dilute HCl Pb2+ (precipitated as Chloride)
2 Dilute HCl + H2S Cu2+, Cd2+ (precipitated as sulphide)
3 Solid NH4Cl + NH4OH Fe3+, Al3+ (Precipitated ash
hydroxide)
4 Solid NH4Cl + NH4OH + H2S Ni2+ CO2+ Zn2+ Mn2+ (Precipitated as
Sulphide)
5 Solid NH4Cl + NH4OH + Ca2+ Sr2+ Ba2+ (Precipitated as
(NH4 )2 CO3
Carbonates)
6 If all the above groups are Mg2+
absent
NH4Cl+ NH4OH+Na2HPO4

INDICATORY TESTS FOR CATIONS / BASIC RADICALS

GROUP WISE ANALYSIS

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 1 Salt solution + sodium carbonate solution Clear solution May be the presence
of ammonium salt
(zero group)
2 Salt solution + dilute HCl A white Presence of Gr 1
(Pb2+)
Pb(NO3)2 + 2HCl→PbCl2 (White ppt)+2HNO3
3 Salt solution + dilute HCl + H2S Black precipitate Presence of Gr 2
Yellow precipitate Cu2+ present
Cd2+ present
CuSO4+H2S→CuS+H2SO4
Black
CdCl2+H2S→CdS+2HCl
Yellow
4. Salt solution + solid NH4Cl + NH4OH(till (i)White gelatinous Presence of Gr3
alkaline) precipitate Al3+ Present
(ii)Reddish Brown Fe3+ Presenct
precipitate
AlCl3+3NH4OH→Al(OH)3+3NH4Cl
White gelatinous ppt
FeCl3+3NH4OH→Fe(OH)3+3NH4Cl
Reddish brown ppt
5. Salt solution + solid NH4Cl + NH4OH(till (i)Black precipitate Presence of Gr 4
alkaline) + H2S (ii)White precipitate Co2+ or Ni2+
(iii)Buff precipitate present
Zn2+ present
Mn2+ present
Co (OH)2 +H2S 2H2O + CoS (black)
Ni (OH)2 +H2S 2H2O + NiS (black)
Zn (OH)2 +H2S 2H2O + ZnS (white)
Mn (OH)2 +H2S 2H2O + MnS (Buff coloured.
6. Salt solution + Solid NH4Cl +NH4OH(till White precipitate Presence of group 5
alkaline)+(NH4)2CO3
BaCl2 + (NH4)2CO3  BaCO3 (White ppt) + 2NH4Cl
SrCl2 + (NH4)2CO3  SrCO3 (White ppt) + 2NH4Cl
CaCl2 + (NH4)2CO3  CaCO3 (White ppt) + 2NH4Cl
7. Salt solution+NH4Cl+NH4OH+Na2HPO4 White precipitate Presence of group 6

MgSO4+ NH4OH+Na2HPO4→ MgNH4PO4 (White ppt) +Na2SO4+ H2O

CONFIRMATORY TESTS FOR CATIONS

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 Confirmatory Test for NH4+
1. Salt solution is heated with NaOH. Smell of ammonia. NH4+ confirmed

2. To the above solution add Nessler’s Brown precipitate NH4+ is confirmed

Reagent.

∆
NH4Cl+ NaOH  NH3 + NaCl + H2O
2K2[HgI4] + NH3+3KOH→ 7KI+2H2O+ H2N.HgO.HgI
Brown ppt
Confirmatory Test for Pb2+

1. Salt solution + K2CrO4 solution Yellow precipitate Pb2+ confirmed

2. Salt solution + KI solution Yellow precipitate Pb2+ confirmed

dissolves in hot
water and reappears
as golden spangles
on cooling
Pb(NO3)2 + K2CrO4  2KNO3 + Pb CrO4 (Yellow precipitate)

(CH3COO)2 Pb+2KI→ PbI2 (Yellow precipitate) + 2CH3COOK

Confirmatory Test for Cu2+

1. Salt solution + NH4OH (strong) Deep blue colour Cu2+ confirmed

CuSO4+4NH4OH→[Cu(NH3)4]SO4+4H2O
Deep blue colour

2. Salt solution + K4Fe(CN)6 solution Reddish brown ppt Cu2+ confirmed

2CuSO4+K4[Fe(CN)6]→ Cu2[Fe(CN)6] + 2K2SO4

Chocolate brown colour

Confirmatory Test for Cd2+

1. Salt solution + NaOH solution White ppt Cd2+ confirmed

2. Salt solution + K4[Fe(CN)6] solution White/Bluish white Cd2+ confirmed

ppt

Cd(NO3) 2+2NaOH→ Cd(OH)2+ 2NaNO3

White ppt.

2Cd(NO3)2+K4[Fe(CN)6]→ Cd2[Fe(CN)6] + 4 KNO3

white ppt.
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 If White gelatinous ppt Blue ppt (Lake) Al3+ confirmed
floats in clear liquid
Confirmatory test for Al3+
1. Salt solution + dil.HCl +Blue Litmus
solution + NH4OH

Al(OH)3 + 3HCl → AlCl3 + 3H2O

AlCl3 + 3NH4OH→3NH4Cl + Al(OH)3
Blue colour adsorbs on this ppt
2. Ash test Blue ash Al3+ confirmed
salt + few drops of conc. HNO3 + Cobalt
nitrate and boiled. Dipped a filter paper
into the boiled mixture & burnt to ashes
∆
Co (NO3)2  CoO + 2NO2
Al2O3 + CoO  Al2O3 . CoO
Blue ash
If ppt is reddish brown

1. Confirmatory test for Fe3+ White ppt Soluble Fe3+ confirmed

Salt solution + K4 [Fe(CN)6 ] solution in excess of NaOH

4FeCl3+ 3 K4 [Fe(CN)6 ]→ Fe4[Fe(CN)6]3 + 12KCl

Prussian blue

If the ppt is Black

1. Confirmatory test for Ni2+ Bright red ppt Ni2+ confirmed

Salt solution + NH4OH + dimethyl
glyoxime

If the ppt is White

Confirmatory test for Zn2+
Salt solution + dil.HCl + K4Fe(CN)6
solution
1. White ppt Zn2+ confirmed

2ZnCl2 + K4[Fe(CN)6] → Zn2[Fe(CN)6] + 4KCl

white ppt.
2. Ash test Green ash Zn2+ confirmed

salt + few drops of conc. HNO3 + Cobalt

nitrate and boiled. Dipped a filter paper
into the boiled mixture & burnt to ashes

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 ∆
Co (NO3)2  CoO + 2NO2
ZnO + CoO  ZnO . CoO
green ash
If the ppt is Buff

1. Confirmatory test for Mn2+ Pink colour Mn2+ confirmed

Salt solution + HNO3 + Lead Peroxide

MnSO4+ 2HNO3 →Mn(NO3)2 + H2SO4

2Mn(NO3)2 + 5PbO 2+ 6HNO3→ 2HMnO4+ 5Pb(NO3)2+2H2O
Pink solution
INTER GROUP ANALYSIS OF GROUP V

1. Confirmatory test for Ba2+

Yellow Precipitate Ba2+ confirmed
Salt solution + K2CrO4 solution

Ba Cl2 + K2CrO4 → BaCrO4 + 2KCl

Yellow ppt
2. Flame test Apple green flame Ba2+ confirmed
A paste of salt with Con.HCl is brought
to the flame using a glass rod.
Confirmatory test for Ca2+

1. Salt solution + ammonium oxalate White precipitate Ca2+ confirmed

solution
CaCl2 + (NH4)2C2O4 → 2NH4Cl + CaC2O4
White ppt

2. Flame test
A paste of salt with Con.HCl is brought Brick red flame Ca2+ confirmed
to the flame using a glass rod.
1. Confirmatory Test for Sr2+

Salt solution + ammonium sulphate White precipitate Sr2+ confirmed

solution
SrCl2 + (NH4)2SO4 → SrSO4 + 2NH4 Cl
White ppt
2. Flame test
A paste of salt with Con.HCl is brought Crimson red colour Sr2+ confirmed
to the flame using a glass rod.
Confirmatory Test for Mg2+
1. Salt solution +NH4Cl+NH4OH+Na2HPO4 White ppt Mg2+ confirmed
solution
MgSO4+ NH4OH+Na2HPO4 → MgNH4PO4 + Na2SO4 + H2O
White ppt
2. Ash test

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 salt + few drops of conc. HNO3 + Cobalt Pink ash Mg2+ confirmed
nitrate and boiled. Dipped a filter paper
into the boiled mixture & burnt to ashes
∆
Co (NO3)2  CoO + 2NO2
MgO + CoO  MgO . CoO
pink ash