SYSTEMATIC PROCEDURE FOR SIMPLE SALT ANALYSIS

EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE

1 Colour Blue or green May be due to Cu2+
Light green May be due to Fe2+
Colourless May be due to Pb2+
Al3+, Zn2+, Ba2+, Cu2+, Sr2+& Mg2+
2 Smell : Noted the smell of the Ammonia cal Pungent smell May be presence of NH4+
salt Vinegar like smell May be presence of CH3COO-
Rotten egg smell May be presence of S2-
No specific odour is noted Absence of NH4+
CH3COO-,S2-
3 Appearance Crystalline Solid May be due to Cl- , Br-, CH3COO-
SO42-& NO3-
Amorphous Solid May be due to CO32-& S2-
4 Solubility : A pinch of the Soluble May be due to presence of Cl-, Br-,
sample is taken in a test tube CH3COO-- , SO42-& NO3--
and shaken with 2ml of water May be due to presence of CO32-& S2-

5 Action of Heat : A small Descrepitation occurs, Presence of NO3-

amount of sample is taken in a Reddish brown gas turning
dry test tube & heated strongly Ferrous sulphate solution
black is evolved.

Reddish brown gas turning Presence of Br-

starch Iodide paper orange
yellow
Presence of CO32-
Colourless odourless gas
turning lime water milky is
evolved
Presence of NH4+
Small sublimes with the
evolution of pungent smell.

Greenish yellow turns starch Presence of Cl-

Iodide paper blue

Salt turns yellow on hot & Presence of Zn2+

white on cold

No characteristic gas is Absence of NO3-, CO32-,NH4+,Zn2+

evolved
6 Flame Test : A pinch of the Bluish green flame Presence of Cu2+
sample was taken in a watch
glass & 2 drops of Conc Hcl Apple green flame Presence of Ba2+
was added to make a paste of it.
Then the paste is shown on the Brick red flame Presence of Ca2+
flame with a help of glass rod.
No characteristic flame is Absence of Cu2+, Ba2+, Ca2+& Sr2+
observed.
 7 Ash Test : To a small portion of Blue ash May be the presence of Al3+
salt solution, 1 ml of Co(No3)2 Green ash May be the presence of Zn2+
and 1 drop of conc HNO3 Pink ash May be the presence of Mg2+
were added. A filter paper was No characteristic coloured ash May be the absence of Al3+, Zn2+, &Mg2+
soaked in this solution and
burnt to ashes.

SYSTEMATIC PROCEDURE FOR SIMPLE SALT ANIONS

EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE

1 Dil H2SO4Test : To a pinch A colourless, odourless gas with Presence of CO32-
of salt dil H2SO4 was added. brisk effervescence evolved
which turns lime water milky.

A colourless gas having smell of Presence of S2-

rotten eggs is produced which
turns moist lead acetate paper
black.

No characteristic gas is evolved. Absence of CO32-,S2-,SO32-& NO2-

2 Conc H2SO4Test : Colourless gas, giving dense Presence of Cl-

To a pinch of salt 1 ml of white fumes with a glass rod
Conc H2SO4 was added and dippled in NH4OH
heated.
Vinegar like odour Presence of CH3COO-

Evolution of reddish brown Presence of Br-

vapour of Bromine which turns
starch- Paper orange red.

Evolution of brown fumes which Presence of NO3-

when passed through FeSO4
solution , it turns black.

No characteristic gas is evolved. Absence of Br- , NO3-, Cl-& CH3COO-

3 BaCl2Test : To the salt A white precipitate is formed Presence of SO42-

solution, 2 ml of BaCl2 which is insoluble in Conc Hcl.
Solution was added.
No characteristic precipitate is Absence of SO42-
obtained
4 Ester test : Take a pinch of Fruity smell is observed. Presence of CH3COO-
salt in a dry test tube and add
to it 1 ml of Conc H2So4and
4-5 drops of ethyl alcohol .
Heat the contents of the test No characteristic smell is Absence of CH3COO-
 tube and smell. observed.

Take 1 g of salt in a boiling tube. Mix about 3 g of solid sodium carbonate and add 15
mL of distilled water to it. Stir and boil the content for about 10 minutes. Cool, filter and
collect the filtrate in a test tube and label it as sodium carbonate extract.

CONFIRMATORY TEST FOR ANIONS

EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE

1 Confirmatory test for Carbonates Brisk effervescences with Presence of CO32-is confirmed.
(Co32-) evolution of CO2, lime water
Add dilH2So4 ordilHcl to the salt turns milky.
solution and pass the gas evolved
through lime water.

Keep passing the gas for long Milkiness is disappeared. Presence of CO32-is confirmed.

2 Confirmatory test for Chloride: Cl-

Silver nitrate test : Curdy white precipitate soluble in Presence of Cl- is confirmed.
To a portion of the aqueous NH4OH solution.
solutions of the salt add dil HNO3
and AgNO3 solution

Chromyl Chloride test: To a pinch Red vapours giving yellow

of salt K2Cr2O7& 1 ml of Conc solution on passing NaOH
H2SO4 were added and heated solution.
strongly. Presence of Cl- is confirmed.
On adding lead acetate solution
yellow precipitate was obtained

3
4 Confirmatory test for Nitrate: No3-
Brown Ring Test: A dark brown ring is formed at Presence of NO3- is confirmed.
To the aqueous solution of the salt the junction of the two layers.
add freshly prepared FeSo4
solution and shake well. Then add
Con H2SO4along the sides of the
test tube.

Copper turning test : To a pinch of A reddish brown gas evolved Presence of NO3- is confirmed.
salt, small amount of copper which turns FeSO4solution black
turnings and 1 ml of
Conc H2SO4were added and
heated strongly.

5 Confirmatory test for Sulphate:

SO42- Lead acetate test:
 To the aqueous solution of the salt White precipitate soluble in Presence of SO42- is confirmed.
add 2 to 3 drops of acetic acid and excess of ammonium acetate
add lead acetate solution. solution.

6 Confirmatory test for Acetate: Deep red colouration is produced Presence of CH3COO-is confirmed.
Ferric Chloride test: which disappears on adding
To the aqueous solution of the salt dilHcl.
add a few drops of neutral FeCl3
solution
SYSTEMATIC ANALYSIS OF CATIONS

EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE

1 Confirmatory Test : (Nessler’s

reagent test): To a small amount
of given salt, 1 ml of NaOH Brown precipitate was obtained Presence of NH4+is obtained
solution was added and warmed,
to the above mixture 1 ml of
Nessler’s reagent was added.
PREPARATION OF SALT SOLUTION

 For water soluble salt : A small amount of the salt was dissolved in 5 ml of water.

GROUP IDENTIFICATION

EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE

1 Test for Group I cation: White precipitate Presence of Group-I cation
To 1 ml of the salt solution, 1 ml
of dil. HCl was added No white precipitate obtained Absence of Group-I cation

2 Test for Group II cation: Black precipitate Presence of Group-II cation

To the above mixture of group I,
H2S gas was passed No black precipitate obtained Absence of Group-II cation

3 Test for Group IIIcation:

To 1 ml of salt solution, 1 ml of Gelatinous Presence of Group-III cation
each NH4Cl & NH4OH solutions White (Al3+) precipitate obtained
were added
No Gelatinous white precipitate Absence of Group-III cation
4 Test for Group IVcation: Dirty white precipitate Presence of Group-IV cation
To the above mixture of Group III,
H2S gas was passed. No Dirty characteristic change Absence of Group-IV cation

5 Test for Group Vcation: White precipitate Presence of Group-V cation

To1 ml of salt solution, 1ml of
each NH4Cl, NH4OH & (NH4)2CO3 No characteristic change Absence of Group-V cation
solutions were added.
6 Test for Group VIcation: White precipitate Presence of Group-VI cation
To1 ml of salt solution, 1 ml of
 each NH4Cl, NH4OH & Na2HPO4 No characteristic change Absence of Group-VI cation
solution was added.
CONFIRMATORY TESTS FOR CATIONS
Analysis of Group I cation (Pb2+)

EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE

1 To 1 ml of the salt solution , Yellow precipitate Presence of Pb2+ confirmed

1 ml of Kl solution was added. (which dissolved on heating &
reappeared as golden yellow
spangles on cooling)

Analysis of Group II cation (Cu2+)

EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE

1 To 1 ml of the salt solution , Chocolate brown precipitate is Presence of Cu2+ confirmed

1 ml of Pottassiumferrocyanide obtained
solution was added.

Analysis of Group III cation (Fe2+/ Al3+)

If gelatinous white precipitate was obtained Al3+

EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE

1 To 1 ml of the salt solution , Bright red lake Presence of Al3+confirmed

1 ml of NH4OH & 1ml of
Aluminon reagent were added. .

Analysis of Group IV cation (Zn2+)

EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE

1 To 1 ml of the original solution , white precipitate was obtained. Presence of Zn2+confirmed

1 ml of Pottassiumferrocyanide
solution was added.
Analysis of Group Vcation (Ba2+,Sr2+&Ca2+)

EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE

1 To 1 ml of the salt solution , Yellow precipitate Presence of Ba2+confirmed
1 ml of Pottassium chromate
solution was added. No Yellow precipitate Absence of Ba2+
2 To 1 ml of the salt solution , white precipitate Presence of Sr2+ confirmed
1 ml of ammonium sulphate
solution was added. No white precipitate Absence of Sr2+
3 To 1 ml of the salt solution ,
1 ml of ammonium oxalate white precipitate Presence of Ca2+ confirmed
 solution was added.

Analysis of Group VI cation (Mg2+)

EXPERIMENT OBSERVATION INFERENCE

1 To 1 ml of the salt solution , White precipitate was obtained Presence of Mg2+confirmed
few drops of NaOH solution was which dissolves on adding excess
added. of NaOH solution.
2 To 1 ml of the salt solution , Blue precipitate Presence of Mg2+confirmed
few drops of Magneson reagent
was added..
RESULT:
The given simple salt contains:
(i) Anion :
(ii) Cation :

Salt =