7.
SYSTEMATIC QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS OF SIMPLE INORGANIC SALTS
Analysis of salts means identification of cations and anions present in the salt. Salt is formed by the
neutralization reaction between an acid and a base. The No. of units of charges carried by an ion is equal
to its valency.
Acid Radicals (Anion Basic Radicals (Cation)
1) They carry-ve charge 1) They carry +ve charge. On
2) They can be detected by using solid (0.1g) salt 2) They can be detected by using original solution
(2 or 3 drops)
3) They can be detected in Acidic medium with
3) They can be detected in Basic medium with
4) Reaction can be seen in the form of
effervescence, colour and odour of gas. 4) Reaction can't be seen instead the product will
be seen as precipitate.
Analysis of a salt involves four steps which are as follows:
1. Preliminary test 2. Detection of anion 3. Detection of cation 4. Report of salt
I. Preliminary Tests:
a) State: Crystalline or Amorphous
b) Colour: White / colourless, light green (Fe+2), green (Ni+2), Blue (Cu+2), Brown (Fe+3), light pink (Mn+2),
Violet (Co+2).
c) Solubility test:
Water Dilute HCl
II. Classification of anion:
Group Goup Reagent Radical Present
I Dil HCl CO3
II C oncentrated H2SO4 Cl-1 , Br-1 , NO 3-1
III No reagents SO4
III Detection of Acid group Radicals:
Detection of First group acid radicals:
Test Observation Inference
1. Salt + dil. HCl or dil. H2SO4 Brisk effervescence liberating 4
Group I radical, CO
Colourless , odourless gas which turns lime may be present.
water milky.
No effervescence Group I radical is absent.
Confirmatory test for carbonate
ion (lime water test) Lime water does not turns milky 4
CO is confirmed.
Salt + water boil the gas liberated
is passed into the test
Tube containing lime water.
2. Salt + conc. H2SO4 (2 drops) Colourless gas which gives thick dense fumes Group II radical, Cl4 may
(use dry test tube) with a glass rod dipped in NH4OH solution. be present.
Group II radical, Br 4 may
Reddish brown fumes in cold. be present.
If no reaction in cold a piece of Cu Reddish brown fumes are evolved
/ paper ball is added to the test Group II radical, NO4 may
tube and heated be present.
Confirmatory test for : 784 , 9: 4 , ;<4
=
Test Observation Inference
C. T for 784 :
1) Silver nitrate test :
White curdy ppt. easily soluble in excess of Cl4 is present and
Salt soln. + AgNO3 soln.
NH4OH. confirmed.
2) Chromyl chloride test :
Salt + equal amount of solid
K2Cr2O7 crystals + few drops of
conc. H2SO4. Heat the mixture. The
red vapours are passed into a test Yellow ppt. Cl4 is present and
tube containing 1-2 mL of NaOH confirmed.
solution/H2O. Then add acetic acid
and lead acetate solution.
C. T for 9: 4 ( Globule Test) :
Salt soln. (5 drops ) + CCl4 or CHCl3 An orange or reddish brown globule in the
Br 4 is present and
(3 drops) + Chlorine water (5 organic layer.
confirmed.
drops). Shake well.
C. T for ;<4
= (Brown ring test) :
Salt soln.(5 drops) + conc. H2SO4(2-
3 drops). Cool the mixture + freshly
A brown ring is formed at the NO4 is present and
prepared ferrous sulphate solution
junction of the two layers. confirmed.
slowly along the wall of test tube.
(without disturbing the solution)
Detection of III group anion:
Test for Sulphate ion (SO4) :
C. T for ><@4
? :
White ppt. which is insoluble in in dil HCl SO 4 is present and
Salt soln. + lead acetate soln. (5
confirmed.
drops)
III. DETECTION OF CATIONS :
Detection of zero group radical: Ammonium (NH ):
Test Observation Inference
Group 0 radical, NH is
Colourless gas is liberated, which
present.
a) Gives white thick fumes with
Salt + dil. NaOH, Boil glass rod dipped in HCl solution
No action (no smell of ammonia)
Group 0 radical is absent.
C T for Ammonium (;C? ):
Test Observation Inference
C. T for ;C?
Reddish brown ppt. NH is present and confirmed.
O.S + Nessler’s reagent + NaOH
Preparation of Original Solution (O.S) :
Suppose, salt is soluble in water, dissolve 0.5 g of salt in 10 mL of distilled water. This solution is called
O.S. Suppose, salt is insoluble in water, dissolve 0.5 g of salt in minimum quantity of dil. HCl. Then make
the volume upto 10 mL by adding distilled water. This solution is called O.S.
Classification of Cations into Groups :
Test Observation Inference
O.S + dil. HCl No ppt Group I radical is absent.
O.S + dil. HCl (warm) + H2S No ppt Group II radical is absent.
O.S + NH4Cl (excess) + NH4OH White gelatinous ppt Group III radical, Al is present.
(till the solution becomes alkaline) No ppt Group III radical is absent.
C. T for E8=
White gelatinous ppt. soluble in
O.S + dil. NaOH (1-2 drops) Al is present and confirmed.
excess of NaOH solution.
Analysis of IV group Cations (Zn+2 , Mn+2)
Test Observation Inference
Ppt present Group IV radical, is present.
O.S + NH4Cl (excess) + NH4OH
(Zn , Mn )
+ H2S
No ppt Group IV radical is absent.
Confirmatory Test for Zn+2
Test Observation Inference
2+
C. T for Zn
White ppt. soluble in excess of NaOH
1)O.S + dil. NaOH soln. (1-2 drops) Zn is present and
solution.
confirmed.
2) OS + K4[Fe(CN)6] A bluish white ppt is formed Zn is present and confirmed
Confirmatory Test for Mn+2:
Test Observation Inference
C. T for Mn2+
White ppt. turns brown on exposure Mn is present and
1)O.S + dil. NaOH soln. (1-2 drops)
to air. confirmed.
2) Permanganic acid test (HMnO4)
OS + Pinch of PbO3+ 1ml of conc Mn is present and
A pink supernant solution is formed
nitric acid boil the mixture cool confirmed.
dilute and decant the solution
Analysis of V group Cations (Ca+2 , Ba+2 , Sr+2 )
Test Observation Inference
White ppt Group V radical, is present.
O.S + NH4Cl (excess) + NH4OH
(Ba , Sr , Ca )
+ (NH4)2CO3
No ppt Group V radical is absent.
Confirmatory Test for Ba+2:
Test Observation Inference
1) O.S + K2CrO4 solution. Yellow ppt. is formed Ba is present and confirmed
2) Flame Test: Apple green flame Ba is present and confirmed.
A paste of the given salt with afew
drops of conc HCl is made and
exposed to colorless flame
through Pt wire .
Confirmatory Test for Sr+2:
Test Observation Inference
1) OS + (NH4)2 SO, heat and scratch the
sides of the test tube with a glass rod A white ppt is formed Sr+2 is present and
confirmed.
2) Flame Test: Crimson red color is imparted to the
A paste of the given salt with afew drops flame Sr+2 is present and confirmed.
of conc HCl is made and exposed to
colorless flame through Pt wire .
Confirmatory Test for Ca+2:
Test Observation Inference
1) O.S + Ammonium oxalate. A white ppt is formed Ba+2 is present and
confirmed.
2) Flame Test: Brick red color is imparted to the
A paste of the given salt with afew drops flame Ba+2 is present and
of conc HCl is made and exposed to confirmed.
colorless flame through Pt wire .
Analysis of VI group Cations (Mg+2 ):
Test Observation Inference
O.S + NH4Cl + NH4OH + Group VI radical, Mg is
White crystalline ppt is formed
Na2HPO4 present and confirmed
Result :
1. Anion : _______ 3. Hence, the given salt is i) Formula : _________
2. Cation : _______ II) Name:------
