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Salt Analysis Procedure
Salt Analysis Procedure
Light green
Fe2+
Dark brown
Fe3+
Pink violet
Co2+
Light pink, flesh colour
or dull
earthy colour Mn2+
2. A pinch of salt crystals in Colourless gas with pungent smell is Presence of chloride
a test tube +2ML conc. evolved which gives dense white fumes
sulphuric acid. when a glass rod dipped in ammonium
hydroxide is shown at the mouth of the
test tube
Carbonates (CO32-)
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
1. To salt solution, add Formation of white precipitate Presence of soluble carbonate
magnesium sulphate in the solution is confirmed
solution + ammonium
hydroxide
Chloride (Cl-)
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
1. Acidify a portion of the A white precipitate is formed Presence of chloride is
aqueous solution with which is soluble in ammonium confirmed
dil.Nitric acid, boil, cool hydroxide
and add silver nitrate
solution.
2. Chromyl chloride test. To A yellow precipitate is obtained Presence of chloride confirmed
a mixture of the salt and solid
potassium dichromate, add
conc. Sulphuric acid heat and
pass the red vapours through
NaOH solution. To the yellow
solution thus obtained, add
dil.acetic acid and lead acetate
solution.
Bromide (Br-)
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
1. Acidify a portion of the A light yellow precipitate is Presence of bromide is
aqueous solution with obtained which is partially confirmed
dil.nitric acid, boil , cool soluble in NH4OH
and silver nitrate
solution
2. Heat a small quantity of Evolution of yellowish brown Presence of Bromide is
the salt with solid vapours of bromine which turn confirmed
MnO2 and conc. Sulphuric starch paper yellow
acid
Iodide (I-)
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
1. Acidify a portion of the A yellow precipitate is formed Presence of Iodide is confirmed
aqueous solution with which is insoluble in NH4OH
dil.Nitric acid, boil, cool
and add silver nitrate
solution
2. Heat a small quantity of Evolution of violet vapours of Presence of iodide is confirmed
the salt with solid MnO2 iodine which turns starch paper
and conc.Sulphuric acid blue
Nitrate (NO3-)
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
1. Heat a small quantity of Dark brown fumes of nitrogen Presence of Nitrate is
the salt with conc. peroxide are evolved confirmed
Sulphuric acid and a few
copper chips.
2. Brown ring test: Add a A dark brown ring is formed at Presence of nitrate is confirmed
small quantity of freshly the junction of the layers of the
prepared solution of acid and the solution
ferrous sulphate to a
part of the aqueous salt
solution and then pour
conc.sulphuric acid
slowly along the sides
of the test tube.
Acetate (CH3COO-)
EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
1. Salt solution+ neutral Red colour solution Presence of acetate is
FeCl3 confirmed
For Pb2+
Sl.No. EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
1. Salt solution + KI solution yellow ppt of lead iodide
Pb2+ is confirmed
2. Salt solution + potassium Yellow ppt of lead
chromate solution chromate Pb2+ is confirmed
For Cu2+
Sl.No. EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
1. Salt solution + excess of
ammonium hydroxide
Deep blue solution
Cu2+ is confirmed
solution
For Al3+
Sl.No. EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
1. Salt + dil HCl+ a few drops A blue lake formation
of blue litmus
Al3+ is confirmed
solution+ammonium
hydroxide solution in
excess
For Zn2+
Sl.No. EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
1. Salt solution+sodium
hydroxide solution (drop
White ppt is formed and it
dissolves in excess NaOH
Zn2+ is confirmed
wise addition)
2. Salt solution + potassium White / bluish white ppt
ferrocyanide solution
Zn2+ is confirmed
For Mn2+
Sl.No. EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
1. Salt solution+ NaOH White ppt that turns dark
solution, shake with bromine water Mn2+ is confirmed
2. To the dark ppt add few
drops of conc.Nitric
Pink coloured solution
Mn2+ is confirmed
acid+lead peroxide, boil,
cool and allow to settle
For Co2+
Sl.No. EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
1. Salt solution+ acetic acid+
a crystal of potassium
Yellow ppt
Co2+ is confirmed
nitrate and warm
For Ni2+
Sl.No. EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
1. Salt solution + few drops of Bright rose red ppt
ammonium hydroxide +
Ni2+ is confirmed
few drops of dimethyl
glyoxime
For Ba2+
Sl.No. EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
1. Salt solution+few drops of yellow ppt
potassium chromate Ba2+ is confirmed
solution
For Sr2+
Sl.No. EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
1. Salt solution+ammonium White ppt
sulphate solution Sr2+ is confirmed
For Ca2+
Sl.No. EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
1. Salt solution+ammonium White ppt
oxalate solution+few drops
Ca2+is confirmed
of ammonium hydroxide
solution
For Mg2+
Sl.No. EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE
1. Salt solution +magneson reagent Blue ppt
Mg2+ is confirmed
2. Salt +conc.Nitric acid+cobalt Pink ash formation
Mg2+ is confirmed
nitrate solution, dip a filter
paper and show to
Bunsen flame
RESULT
NOTES
0
Heating through test tubes should be 45 angle with respect to the burner.
All the apparatuses should be washed only after pouring the contents out of it.Never add water directly to the
apparatus.
Odour test to be conducted without gloves.
Flame test chemicals should be washed off immediately as the produce volatile chloride fumes.
If flame colour is absent ash test to be conducted immediately for quick identification of cations such as
Aluminium[Blue ash] , zinc[green ash] and magnesium[pinkish white ash]. Salt+3 drops of con.HNO3+ 3 drops
of cobalt nitrate solution.
Concentrated acids should not exceed 3 drops. Con.H2SO4 to be added to dry test tube only.
Carbonate preliminary [lime water] test should be conducted in U shaped gas tube and lime water to be added
first in gas tube before adding the salt.
Dense white fumes of chloride will appear soon after treating the salt with con.H2SO4.No heating required for
this experiment.
Nitrate is identified with reddish brown fumes by heating with con.H2SO4 followed by Paper ball addition.
FeSO4 need not be added as they produce poisonous fumes.
Brown ring test filtrate obtained after adding FeSO4 to be transferred to another test tube followed by slow
addition of con.H2SO4 along the sides of test tube produces clear brown ring. FeSO4 to be added in excess.
Chromyl chloride and copper chips confirmatory tests ,Bromide and iodide tests are meant for VIVA.
Acetate can be identified with smell of vinegar which then directly confirmed with oxalic acid test.No
preliminary test required for acetate.
If Carbonate ,chloride and nitrate are absent sulphate can be tested directly by confirmatory test. Ammonium
acetate to be added in excess to check the solubility of ppt.
Ammonium salts are identified by heating salt with NaOH followed by ammoniacal smell.
Never rely on litmus paper test for acetate and ammonium salts as they may change the colour due to the
presence of acid and base taken.
All cations are identified using flame and ash tests.Therefore kindly avoid using harmful chemicals such as
ammonium sulphide mentioned in preliminary tests for cations.
Coloured cations are identified directly by noting their colour and are supported directly with respective
confirmatory tests.
Clues for quick identification
Ammonium carbonate - smelling salt ;has strong smell of ammonia.
Other ammonium salts such as ammonium chloride and ammonium acetate and ammonium sulphate produce
ammonia only after heating with NaOH.
Ammonium nitrate is explosive .so wont be given for analysis.