GENERAL PROCEDURE FOR SALT ANALYSIS

S. EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE

No
I. PRELIMINARY TESTS
1. PHYSICAL STATE:
a) Colour of the substance Colourless Absence of Cu2+ , Fe2+
ions
b) Appearance Crystalline Absence of CO32- or S2-
ions.
2. SOLUBILITY Soluble Absence of CO32- or S2-
A little of the salt is shaken ions.
with water
3. ACTION OF HEAT: 1) Decripitation occurs with the 1) May be Pb(NO3)2
A small amount of the salt is evolution of reddish brown gas. salt.
heated gently in a dry test tube. 2) Evolution of reddish brown gas -
2) May be NO3 ions.
3) Salt sublimes with the evolution 3) May be NH4+ salt
of pungent smelling gas, giving
dense white fumes with a glass rod
dipped in conc. HCl.
4) The salt turns yellow on hot, 4) May be Zn2+ salt.
white when cold.

5) The salt turns dark brown when 5) May be Pb2+ salt

4. FLAME TEST:
A small amount of the salt
is made into a paste with conc.
HCl in a watch glass and
introduced into the non-
luminous part of the Bunsen
flame.
hot, and yellow when cold.
6) The salt turns to colourless
7) No characteristic change.
1) Brick red flame.
2) Crimson red flame
3) Grassy green flame.
4) Bluish green flame
5) No characteristic coloured flame.
6) May be CuSO4 salt.
7) Absence of CO32- ,
NO3-, NH4+, Pb2+ and
Zn2+ ions.
1) Presence of Ca2+ ion.
2) Presence of Sr2+ ion.
3) Presence of Ba2+ ion.
4) Presence of Cu2+ ion
5) Absence of Ca2+,
Sr2+ , Cu2+ and Ba2+
ions.

1
 5. ASH TEST:
A filter paper is soaked into a
paste of the salt with conc.
HNO3 and Co(NO3)2 solution
in a watch glass and burnt.
II. IDENTIFICATION TESTS FOR ACID RADICALS
EXPERIMENT
6. ACTION OF Conc.H2SO4
To a small amount of the salt 2
to 3 ml of Conc. H2SO4 is
added.
7. ACTION OF Conc.H2SO4
To a small amount of the salt 2 evolved.
to 3 ml of Conc. H2SO4 is
added, then heat the contents for
2min.
8. ACTION OF NaOH:
A small amount of the salt is
heated with 2 to 3 ml of NaOH.
9. COPPER TURNINGS TEST: 1) Reddish brown gas is evolved.
A small amount of the salt is
heated with Copper
2) No characteristic change
Turnings and a few drops of
conc.H2SO4.
10. LEAD ACETATE TEST
To a small amount of salt
solution, 2 ml of lead acetate
solution is added.
11. ESTER TEST
To a small amount of the salt is
heated with few drops of
Conc.H2SO4 and C2H5OH.
1) Green coloured ash. 1) Presence of Zn2+ ion.
(ZnO.CoO-Cobalt zincate)
2) Blue coloured ash. (Co(AlO2)2) 2) Presence of Al3+ ion.
3) Pink coloured ash. (MgO.CoO) 3) Presence of Mg2+ ion.
4) No characteristic coloured ash. 4) Absence of Zn2+,
Al3+ and Mg2+ ions.
OBSERVATION INFERENCE
1) Colourless gas with brisk 1) Presence of C2O42-
effervescence evolved. ion.
2) No characteristic change. 2) Absence of C2O42-
ion.
1) Colourless pungent smelling gas -
1) Presence of Cl ion.
2) No characteristic change. -
2) Absence of Cl ion.
1) Pungent smelling gas forming 1) Presence of NH4+
dense white fumes with a glass rod ion.
dipped in conc. HCl and also turns
red litmus paper blue.
2) No characteristic change 2) Absence of NH4+
ion.
-
1) Presence of NO3
ion.
2) Absence of NO3-
ion.
1) A white precipitate is obtained 1) Presence of SO42- ion.
2 ) No characteristic change 2-
2) Absence of SO4 ion.
1) Pleasant fruity smelling ester is -
1) Presence of CH3COO
formed.
ion.
2) No Characteristic change 2) Absence of
-
CH3COO ion.
2
 III. CONFIRMATORY TEST FOR ACIDIC RADICALS
i) BARIUM CHLORIDE TEST: 1) A white precipitate, insoluble in
To a few drops of the original conc. HCl.
solution, add 2 ml of BaCl2
solution.
ii) CHROMYL CHLORIDE
TEST:
To a small amount of the
salt a pinch of K2Cr2O7 is
added and heated with few K2SO4+2SO42-+2CrO2Cl2+3H2O
drops of Conc.H2SO4
iii) BROWN RING TEST:
To a few drops of original
solution add freshly prepared
FeSO4 solution and then add
conc. H2SO4 drop by drop along
the sides of the test tube.
iv) Test With KMnO4
To a few drops of original
solution add dilute KMnO4 is
added and then conc. H2SO4 is
added drop by drop along the
sides of the test tube
v) Test with Neutral FeCl3:
To a few drops of original
solution add neutral FeCl3 ,
then heat the solution for 2
min.
1) Presence of SO42-
ion is confirmed.
2+ 2-
Ba (aq) + SO 4 (aq) BaSO 4 (s)(white)
2. No Characteristic change. 2) Absence of SO42-
ion.
1) Red orange vapours evolved are -
1) Presence of Cl ion
passed through NaOH to get a yellow
solution, which on adding Lead is confirmed.
acetate forms a- yellow precipitate.
K2Cr2O7+ 4Cl + 3H2SO4
(chromyl chloride-yellow vapours)
CrO2Cl2+NaOH Na2CrO4 + 2H2O
+ 2NaCl
Na2CrO4+ (CH3COO)2Pb PbCrO4 +
2CH3COONa
2) No Characteristic change -
2) Absence of Cl ion.
1) Brown ring is formed at the 1) Presence of NO3-
junction of the two layers. ion is confirmed.
NO3- + 3Fe2+ + 4H+ → 3Fe3+ +
NO + 2H2O
[Fe(H2O)6]2+ + NO →
[Fe(H2O)5(NO)]2+
2) No Characteristic change 2) Absence of NO3- ion.
1) Colourless, odourless gas evolved 1) Presence of C2O42-
with brisk effervescence, also Colour ion
of KMnO4 becomes colourless
5(C2O4)2- + 16H++2 MnO4-→
10CO2 + 8 H2O + 2Mn2+
colourless)
2) No Characteristic change 2) Absence of C2O42-
ion
1) Reddish brown coloured 1) Presence of
precipitate. CH3COO- ion
3 CH3COO- + FeCl3
→(CH3COO)3Fe + 3Cl-
(CH3COO)3Fe + H2O→ (CH3COO)
(OH) Fe + 2 CH3COOH
2) No Characteristic change 1) Absence of CH3COO-
ion
3
 IV. IDENTIFICATION OF THE BASIC RADICALS
PREPARATION OF ORIGINAL SOLUTION:
The original solution is prepared by dissolving the salt in water.
1. ZERO GROUP
A small amount of the salt is
heated with 2ml of NaOH.
2. 1ST GROUP:
To a few drops of the original
solution 2 ml of dilute HCl is
added.
3. 2ND GROUP:
To a few drops of the original
solution 2 ml of dil.HCl is
added and followed by 2ml of
Na2S solution.
4. 3RD GROUP:
To a few drops of the original
solution 1 ml NH4Cl and 2 ml
NH4OH solutions are added.
5. 4TH GROUP:
To a few drops of the original
solution 1 ml NH4Cl and 2 ml
NH4OH solutions are added
followed by 2ml of Na2S
solution.
6. 5TH GROUP: 1) White precipitate is formed.
To a few drops of the original
solution 1 ml
NH4Cl, 2 ml NH4OH and 2ml 2) No Characteristic change.
(NH4)2CO3 solutions are added.
GROUP IDENTIFICATION
1) Pungent smelling gas forming 1) Presence of zero
dense white fumes with a glass rod group cation
dipped in conc. HCl and also turns
red Litmus paper blue.
NH4+ (aq) + OH- (aq)  NH3(g) + H2O(I)
2) No Characteristic change. 2) Absence of zero
group cation.
1) White precipitate is formed. 1) Presence of First
Pb2+(aq) + HCl(aq)  PbCl2(white) Group cation. (Pb2+)
2) No characteristic change. 2) Absence of First
Group cation (Pb2+)
1) Black precipitate is formed. 1) Presence of Second
Cu2++Na2S CuS (Black Precipitate) + Group cation ( Cu2+).
2Na+
2) No characteristic change.. 2) Absence of Second
Group (Cu2+).
1) Gelatinous white precipitate is 1) Presence of Third
formed. Group cation (Al3+).
Al3+ + 3NH4OHAl(OH)3 + 3NH4+
(Gelatinous white precipitate)
2) No characteristic change. 2) Absence of Third
Group cation (Al3+).
1) Dirty white precipitate is formed . 1) Presence of Fourth
Zn 2+ + H2S(aq)  ZnS(s)(White) + 2H+ Group cation (Zn2+).
2) No characteristic change. 2) Absence of Fourth
Group cation (Zn2+).
1) Presence of Fifth
Group cations (Ca2+,
Sr2+or Ba2+).
2) Absence of Fifth
Group cations (Ca2+,
Sr2+or Ba2+).
4
 7. 6TH GROUP:
To a few drops of the original
solution 1 ml NH4Cl, 2 ml
NH4OH and 2 ml Di Sodium
Hydrogen Phosphate are added.
V. CONFIRMATORY TESTS FOR BASIC RADICALS
1. ZERO GROUP -
AMMONIUM
To a few drops of the
original solution 2ml of NaOH
and Nessler’s reagent (K2HgI4)
are added.
2. FIRST GROUP- LEAD
i) To a few drops of the
original solution K2CrO4 is
added.
ii) To a few drops of the
original solution KI is added.
3. SECOND GROUP-
COPPER
To a few drops of the
original solution NH4OH is
added. Followed by potassium
ferrocyanide solution is
added.
4. THIRD GROUP -
ALUMINIUM
i) To a few drops of the
original solution NH4OH
and Blue litmus solution
are added.
5. FOURTH GROUP- ZINC
i) To a few drops of the
original solution
K4[Fe(CN)6] is added..
6. FIFTH GROUP White precipitate is formed which is
i) CALCIUM: To a few drops insoluble in Acetic acid.
of the original solution NH4 Ca2+(aq) + (NH4)2C2O4(aq)CaC2O4(S)
OH and (NH4)2C2O4 are added.
(white) + 2NH4 (aq)
1) White precipitate is formed. 1) Presence of Sixth
Group cation (Mg2+)
2) No Characteristic change 2) Absence of Sixth
Group (Mg2+).
Reddish brown precipitate is formed. Presence of NH4+
ion is confirmed
1. NH4+ + NaOH  NH4OH + Na+
2. NH4OH  NH3 + H2O
3. NH3 + 2K2HgI4 + 3KOH 
H2N.HgO.HgI (Reddish brown precipitate)
+ 2KI + 2H2O
1) Yellow precipitate is formed. 1) Presence of Pb2+ is
confirmed.
Pb2+ +K2CrO4  PbCrO4 ( Yellow
precipitate) + 2KOH
2) Yellow precipitate soluble in hot 2) Presence of Pb2+ is
water which reappears as golden
confirmed
yellow spangles on cooling.
Pb2+(aq)+ 2I-(aq) PbI2(S) (Yellow)
Blue precipitate is formed.
Cu(OH)2(s) + NH3(aq) 
[Cu(NH3)4] aq)(blue) +2OH-(aq)
2+ Presence of Cu2+ is
A chocolate brown precipitate is confirmed
obtained
A bright Blue lake is formed Presence of Al3+ is
Al3+ (aq) +3OH- confirmed.
(aq) Al(OH)3(s)(white) (adsorb blue colour)
Bluish white precipitate is formed Presence of Zn2+ is
which is soluble in excess of Sodium confirmed.
hydroxide & insoluble in dilute acid.
2Zn2++K4[Fe(CN)6]Zn2[Fe(CN)6]
+
(Bluish White) + 4K
Presence of Ca2+ is
confirmed.
+
5
 ii) BARIUM: To a few drops Yellow precipitate is formed, which is Presence of Ba2+ is
of the original solution soluble in conc.acids. confirmed.
K2CrO4 is added Ba2 (aq) + K2CrO4(aq) 
+

BaCrO4(S)(yellow) + 2K+
iii) STRONTIUM: To a few White precipitate is formed Presence of Sr2+ is
drops of the original solution confirmed.
Sr2+(aq) +(NH4)2SO4(aq)SrSO4(S)
NH4 OH and (NH4)2SO4 +
(white) +2NH4 (aq)
crystals are added.
7. SIXTH GROUP- Blue precipitate is formed Presence of Mg2+ is
MAGNESIUM confirmed
i) To a few drops of the
original solution Magneson
reagent (an alkaline solution of
p- nitrobenzenene azo
resorcinol) is added.
Result:
The given simple salt contains
i) Acid radical as :
ii) Basic radical as :
The given simple salt is confirmed as _________ (formula of the salt).