DETECTION OF CATION IN AN INORGANIC SALT
Preliminary (Dry) tests for cations (Dry heating test and Flame test).
Experiment observation Inference
Dry heating test: 0.1g of i) Blue when cold and white when i) Cu2+ may be present.
the dry salt was taken in a hot.
dry test tube and strongly
ii) White when cold and yellow
heated. ii) Zn2+ may be present.
when hot.
iii) Yellow when cold and brown
when hot. iii) Pb2+ may be present.
iv) Coloured salt turned iv) Co2+, Cu2+, Mn2+ may be
brown/blue on heating. present.
v) White sublimate formed. v) NH4+ may be present.
vi) Decripitation with brown vi) Pb(NO3)2 may be present.
fume.
vii) Yellow when hot.
vii) Ni2+ may be present.
viii) Fe3+ may be present.
viii) Dirty white or yellow
Flame test: Small i) Transient brick red flame. i) May be Ca2+.
amount of sample taken at
ii) Persistent crimson red flame ii) May be Sr2+.
the tip of the platinum
wire with conc. HCl and iii) Apple green flame. iii) May be Ba2+.
introduced in to the flame.
iv) Bluish green flame. iv) May be Cu2+.
v) Lambent blue flame. v) May be Pb2+.
vi) Green flashes. vi) May be Mn2+.
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DETECTION OF CATION IN AN INORGANIC SALT
Preliminary (Dry) test for cations (Borax bead Test)
Experiment Observation Inference
Borax bead test:(only for i) Blue in cold and Green in hot i) May be Cu2+.
coloured salt, no need to oxidising flame, Red opaque in
perform this test if the salt is cold and colourless in hot in
white) Borax was heated in reducing flame.
the loop of platinum wire, it
ii) Yellow in cold and yellowish ii) May be Fe3+.
swelled and formed
brown in hot in oxidising flame.
transparent colourless glassy
Green in cold and hot in reducing
bead, touched with small
flame.
amount of coloured salt and
heated again, colour of the iii) Light violet in cold and hot in
iii) May be Mn2+.
bead was observed. oxidising flame. Colourless in
cold and hot in reducing flame.
iv) Deep blue in both reducing iv) May be Co2+.
and oxidising flame.
v) Brown bead in oxidising flame
v) May be Ni2+.
and grey bead in reducing flame.
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DETECTION OF CATION IN AN INORGANIC SALT
Confirmatory test for cations (Group analysis by H2S).
Experiment Observation Inference
i) A small amount of salt was i) Gas with smell of ammonia i) Group 0 may be present.
taken in test tube and added evolved, a glass rod dipped in
1 to 2 ml of NaOH and HCl brought near the mouth of
heated. the test tube, white fumes
observed.
ii) The gas evolved on heating ii) NH4+ present and confirmed.
with NaOH was passed ii) Brown precipitate observed.
through Nessler’s reagent.
Preparation of original solution (O.S.): A small amount of salt was dissolved in distilled water;
the following tests were performed with this solution. [The salt may dissolve on heating and if it
does not dissolve on heating, a few ml of dil. HCl would be added to fresh salt taken in a test
tube, if the salt dissolves this will be treated as original solution (O.S.)]
1. To a small part of the 1. White precipitate (ppt). 1. Group I (Pb2+) present.
above salt solution, added
2ml of dil. HCl.
2. If no ppt. for group I, 2. Black/yellow ppt. 2. Group II (Pb2+/Cu2+) if black
Passed H2S gas through one ppt, (As3+) if yellow ppt.
portion of above solution. present.
3. If no ppt. for group II, to 3. Brown or green/white 3. Group III (Fe3+) if brown or
another portion of salt gelatinous ppt. green ppt. and (AI3+) if white
solution, added 2 to 3 drops gelatinous ppt. present.
of conc. HNO3 (if sample is
coloured) and boiled, cooled
and then added NH4CI solid
and NH4OH solution.
4. If no ppt. for group III, 4. White/flesh coloured/black 4. Group IV (Zn2+) if white,
passed H2S through the ppt. (Mn2+) if flesh coloured,
solution. (Ni2+/Co2+) if black ppt.
present.
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DETECTION OF CATION IN AN INORGANIC SALT
5. If no ppt. for group IV, To 5. White ppt. 5. Group V (Ba2+/Sr2+/Ca2+)
the O.S. added NH4CI solid present.
and NH4OH solution,
followed by (NH4)2CO3
solution.
6. If no ppt. for group V, 6. White ppt. 6. Group VI (Mg2+) present.
added Na2HPO4 solution.
Confirmatory test (Wet test) / Treatment of precipitate (ppt.).
Group I(Pb2+)
White precipitate was dissolved in hot
water.
i) To one part, Added KI solution.
i) Yellow ppt. Pb2+ present and confirmed.
ii) To other part, Added K2Cr2O4.
ii) Yellow ppt.
Group II(Cu2+)
Experiment observation Inference
Black precipitate boiled with
dil. HNO3.
1. i) To one part, Added excess
1. i) Deep blue colouration.
of NH4OH soln.
1. Cu2+ present and confirmed.
ii) Chocolate brown ppt.
ii) To other part, Added
K4[Fe(CN)6] soln.
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DETECTION OF CATION IN AN INORGANIC SALT
Group III (Fe3+/Al3+)
Experiment Observation Inference
Brown or green/white gelatinous ppt.
dissolves in dil. HCl.
1. i) A Blood red
1. i) To one part, NH4SCN was added. colouration.
1. Fe3+ present and confirmed.
ii) To other part, K4[Fe(CN)6] was ii) A Prussian blue
added. ppt.
2. Add dil. NaOH drop wise. 2. A white gelatinous
ppt. soluble in excess 2. Al3+ present and confirmed.
of NaOH.
Group IV (Zn2+/Ni2+/Co2+/Mn2+).
Experiment Observation Inference
White/flesh/black ppt.
dissolves in dilute HCl.
i) Added NaOH or NH4OH soln. i) White ppt. soluble in i) Zn2+ present and confirmed.
in excess. excess of NaOH or NH4OH.
ii) Added NH4OH soln. + ii) Bright red ppt. ii) Ni2+ present and confirmed.
Dimethyl Glyoxime solution.
iii) Added di ethyl ether + iii) Ether layer turns blue. iii) Co2+ present and
NH4SCN solid. confirmed.
Added NaOH soln. Flesh coloured ppt. Mn2+ present and confirmed.
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DETECTION OF CATION IN AN INORGANIC SALT
Group V (Ba2+/Sr2+/Ca2+)
Experiment Observation Inference
White ppt. dissolves in dilute
acetic acid and 3 parts.
i) To 1st part added K2CrO4 soln. i) Yellow ppt. i) Ba2+ present and
ii) To 2nd part added (NH4)2SO4 confirmed.
soln.
ii) White ppt. ii) Sr2+ present and
confirmed.
iii) To 3rd part added (NH4)2C2O4 iii) Ca2+ present and
iii) White ppt.
soln. confirmed
Gr VI(Mg2+)
Experiment Observation Inference
Take O.S.(original solution). White ppt. Mg2+ present and
confirmed.
Added NH4CI+NH4OH+Na2HPO4.
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