CHEAT SHEET

A Complete Guide to SALT ANALYSIS

Anions Silver nitrate test: WE + AgNO3 = white ppt

soluble in NH4OH
Test mentioned next to group is the preliminary
test; the ones mentioned under an anion are Chromyl chloride test: Salt + solid K2Cr2O7 + 2-3
confirmatory tests for it. drops conc H2SO4 = orange / red fumes of
chromyl chloride → Vapours + NaOH (aq) =
Group I (dilute H2SO4 group) – CO32-
yellow solution → Yellow solution + acetic acid +
(carbonate), SO32- (sulphite), S2- (sulphide), NO2-
lead acetate sol = yellow ppt
(nitrite): Salt + dil H2SO4
3. Bromide: Reddish brown vapour
1. No reaction: Group I anion not present.
Continue to group II. Silver nitrate test: WE + AgNO3 (aq) = yellow ppt
partially soluble in NH4OH
2. Carbonate: Colourless and odourless gas (CO2)
WE (water extract) + MgSO4 = white ppt Organic layer test: WE + CCl4 + 1 drop conc HNO3
= Upper layer aqueous; lower layer organic of
3. Sulphite: Colourless gas with pungent smell
orange / brown colour (bromine is soluble in
WE + BaCl2 (aq) = white ppt soluble in dil HCl
non-polar solvent)
WE + acidified K2Cr2O7 = sol 3 turns green
4. Iodide: Violet vapours
WE + acidified KMnO4 = pink colour of KMnO4 is
Silver nitrate test: WE + AgNO3 (aq) = yellow ppt
discharged
insoluble in NH4OH
4. Sulphide: Colourless gas with a smell of rotten
Organic layer test: WE + CCl4 + 1 drop conc
eggs (H2S); turns lead acetate paper black
HNO3 = Upper layer aqueous; lower layer
Sodium nitroprusside test: WE + sodium organic of violet colour (iodine is soluble in non-
nitroprusside = purple / violet colour polar solvent)

Lead acetate test: WE + lead acetate (aq) = 5. Nitrate: Brown fumes with pungent smell,
black ppt which intensify on adding paper pellets (may
need heating)
5. Nitrite: Pungent light brown gas
Brown ring test: WE + freshly prepared FeSO4 sol
Starch-iodide test: + 1 drop conc HNO3 added alongside of test tube
WE + dil H2SO4 (or dil acetic acid); boil, then add = brown ring formed at junction of sol and acid
solid KI + fresh starch sol = deep blue 6. Acetate: Pungent vapour with vinegar-like
colouration smell
Group II (conc H2SO4 group) – Cl- (chloride), Br- Ester test: Salt + conc H2SO4 + ethanol = fruity
(bromide), I- (iodide), NO3- (nitrate), CH3COO- smell of ester
(acetate), C2O42- (oxalate): Salt + conc H2SO4
Ferric chloride test: WE + FeCl3 (aq) = brick red
1. No reaction: Group II anion not present. colour
Continue to group III.
Add dil HCl = red colour disappears
2. Chloride: Colourless white pungent fumes
(HCl); intensify when glass rod dipped in NH4OH Add water and boil = reddish brown ppt
is brought near mouth of test tube
7. Oxalate: Colourless gas with effervescence Potassium iodide test: OS + KI = yellow ppt 3.
(CO + CO2) Potassium chromate test: OS + K2CrO4 = yellow
ppt
Calcium chloride test: WE + acetic acid + CaCl2
(aq) + boil = white ppt; ppt dissolves when dil Group II – Cu2+ (copper): OS + dil HCl + H2S =
HNO3 is added and warmed black ppt

Potassium permanganate test: Salt + dil H2SO4 + Throw off extra sol, retain ppt, and dissolve in a
heat; then add 2-3 drops KMnO4 sol = pink few drops of conc HNO3 = bluish green sol, ppt
colour of KMnO4 is disappears dissolves; divide into two parts

Group III anions (special group) – SO42- Part 1 + excess NH4OH = blue coloured sol 2.
(sulphate), PO43- (phosphate): No group reagent Potassium ferrocyanide test: Part 2 + acetic acid
+ K4[Fe(CN)6] = reddish brown / chocolate
1. Sulphate: Barium chloride test: WE + BaCl2
coloured ppt (Note – this test is difficult to get)
(aq) = white ppt insoluble in conc HCl
Lead acetate test: WE + lead acetate (aq) + Group III – Fe2+, Fe3+ (iron), Al3+ (aluminium): OS
acetic acid = white ppt soluble in + solid NH4Cl + excess NH4OH
CH3COONH4 (ammonium acetate)
1. Fe2+ / Fe3+: Note – ferrous salts are green in
2. Phosphate: 1. Ammonium molybdate test: WE colour, ferric salts are brown in colour.
+ dil HNO3 + ammonium molybdate + boil =
Original solution: Salt + acid + water
crystalline canary yellow ppt
If ferrous salt has been given, convert to ferric:
Cations
OS + conc HNO3 + heat = brown ppt; then do
● Group reagent is mentioned next to group reaction with group reagent
cations.
Brown ppt + HCl; then divide into two parts
● Test mentioned next to cation is the
Potassium ferrocyanide test: Part 1 + K4[Fe(CN)6]
preliminary; ones under it are confirmatory tests
= blue ppt / colour
for it.
Potassium thiocyanate test: Part 2 + KCNS =
● When sulphate is detected, Ba2+, Ca2+, Pb2+,
blood red colour
and Sr2+ are not present as sulphates of these
radicals are insoluble. 2. Al3+: Gelatinous white ppt
● When phosphate is detected, cations of group Blue lake test: Retain ppt + dil HCl = clear sol
III and later are absent.
Sol + blue litmus and NH4OH (drop-by-drop) =
Group 0 – NH4+ (ammonium): No group reagent blue colour layer ('lake') floats over colourless
sol
Sodium hydroxide test: Salt + NaOH = pungent
smelling gas; gives white fumes when a glass rod Group IV – Co2+ (cobalt), Ni2+ (nickel), Mn2+
dipped in conc HCl is brought near mouth of test (manganese), Zn2+ (zinc): OS + solid NH4Cl +
tube excess NH4OH + pass H2S gas
Nessler's reagent test: OS (original solution) + 1. Co2+ / Ni2+: Black ppt; dissolve ppt in aqua
NaOH + Nessler's reagent K2HgI4 = Brown / regia and evaporate sol to dryness to get
yellow ppt residue
Group I – Pb2+ (lead): OS + dil HCl = white ppt; Co2+: Blue residue; turns pink / purple when
add water, boil, and divide into three parts dissolved in water; divide into two parts
Leave OS undisturbed = white crystals formed Part 1 + dil acetic acid + KNO2 + warm = yellow
on cooling ppt
Part 2 + ether (1 mL) + solid NH4CNS = blue ➔ Coloured salts Colour Inference Blue Cupric
colour in ether salts Green Hydrated nickel salts Rose red
Cobalt salts, HgI2 Light green Ferrous salts
2. Ni2+: Yellow residue; turns green when
Yellow / brown Ferric salts Green / blue
dissolved in water; divide into two parts
Hydrated copper salts Deep blue Anhydrous
Aqua regia: 3 parts conc HCl + 1 part conc HNO3 cobalt salts Pale pink Manganese salts Dark
Ammonium sulphocyanide green / purple Chromic salts

DMG 12 test: Miscellaneous Notes

Part 1 + excess NH4OH + DMG = bright red ppt ● With Br-, most labs only have NH4+.
Part 2 + NaOH + bromine water + boil = black
● With Ca2+, most labs only have Cl-.
ppt
● Easier way to do flame test: Use test tube
2. Mn2+: Buff / skin colour ppt; divide into two
holder as tongs, and pick up a sizeable
parts
chunk of salt with it. Put one drop of
Part 1 + dil HCl + boil off H2S + NaOH =
conc.HCl, and put in Bunsen burner flame.
white ppt; which turns black / brown on
adding bromine water ● Do flame test first; if you're lucky you'll
Lead dioxide test: get your cation early. Most students spend
Part 2 + PbO2 + conc HNO3 + boil = after up a lot of time doing cation test.
cooling; pink colouration

3. Zn2+: Greyish white ppt; divide into two parts

Part 1 + excess NaOH = white ppt dissolves

2. Potassium ferrocyanide test: Part 2 +

K4[Fe(CN)6] = white / bluish white ppt

Group V – Ba2+ (barium), Sr2+ (strontium), Ca2+

(calcium): OS + (NH4)2CO3 + NH4Cl + NH4OH =
white ppt; add dil acetic acid, divide sol into
three parts and test for following IN ORDER

1. Ba2+: Part 1 + excess K2CrO4 (aq) = yellow ppt

2. Sr2+: Part 2 + (NH4)2SO4 (aq) = white ppt

3. Ca2+: Part 3 + (NH4)2C2O4 (aq) + NH4OH (only if

nothing appears at first) = white ppt

4. Flame test: Take salt and make a paste by

mixing with conc HCl. Take paste on tip of glass
rod / platinum wire, and put in Bunsen burner
flame 1. Ba2+: Green flame 2. Sr2+: Crimson red
flame 3. Ca2+: Brick red flame

Group VI – Mg2+ (magnesium): No group

reagent OS + NH4Cl + excess NH4OH +
ammonium phosphate = white ppt