Loyola School (CBSE), Thiruvananthapuram

SCHEME OF ANALYSIS OF SIMPLE SALT

Experiment Observation Inference

PRELIMINARY TESTS
a) May be Cu2+
a) Blue. b) May be Fe2+
b) Light green.
1 Colour of the salt is noted. c) May be Mn2+
c) Flesh/light pink.
d) Colourless/white. d) Absence of Cu2+, Fe2+, Mn2+

Ammoniacal smell. +
2 Smell of the salt is noted. May be NH4
−
Vinegar like smell. May be CH3COO

Solubility is noted. 2+
Insoluble (white precipitate). May be Pb
1. in dil. HCl
3
Soluble and no precipitate with +
2. in H2O
Na2CO3 solution. May be NH4
Flame Test: A little of the salt is Apple green flame. May be Ba2+
made into a paste with conc. HCl Crimson red flame. May be Sr2+
4
and shown into the non-luminous Brick red flame. May be Ca2+
flame of a bunsen burner.

ANALYSIS OF ANIONS (ACID RADICALS)

Brisk effervescence with the

To a little of the salt added dil. evolution of colourless odourless 2−
5
HCl. gas which turned lime water CO3
milky. Presence of

Presence of CH3COO-
To a little of the salt added
6 Smell of vinegar.
dil. H2SO4.

Colourless gas which gives dense

To a little of the salt added conc. white fumes with NH4OH (NH3
7 solution).
H2SO4. Presence of Cl-
[Glass rod is dipped in NH4OH then
shown to the mouth of the test tube.]

−
A little of the salt is warmed with NO 3
8 Reddish brown fumes. Presence
conc. H2SO4 and copper turnings.

White precipitate insoluble in 2−

To a little of the salt solution added
9 dil. HCl. SO4
BaCl2 solution. Presence of

CONFIRMATORY TESTS FOR ANIONS

CONFIRMATORY TEST FOR CARBONATE ( CO 2−

3 )

Scheme of analysis of simple salt Page1

 Experiment Observation Inference

Brisk effervescence with the 2−

evolution of colourless, odourless CO3 is confirmed.
a. To the salt solution dil. HCl
gas. CO32- + HCl  Cl-+ H2O+ CO2
is added.

Lime water is turned milky. 2−

1 b. The above gas is passed
CO3 is confirmed.
0 through lime water.
Ca(OH)2 + CO2 CaCO3 + H2O

White precipitate soluble in dil.

HCl. (milky,insoluble)
c. To the salt solution BaCl2 2−
solution is added.
CO3 is confirmed.
CO32- + BaCl2 BaCO3 + Cl-
(white precipitate)

CONFIRMATORY TEST FOR ACETATE

a. To the salt solution added

neutral FeCl3 solution and Red colouration changed to CH3COO- confirmed.
heated. brown precipitate . FeCl3 + 3CH3COO -
(CH3COO)3Fe + Cl-
(brown precipitate)

1
1 b. Ester test:A little of the
salt solution is heated with
conc. H2SO4 and ethyl Pleasant fruity smell.
alcohol and then the CH3COO- confirmed.
solution is poured into a
CH3COO- + H2SO4
beaker containing water. SO42- + CH3COOH
CH3COOH + C2H5OH 
CH3COOC2H5 + H2O
(fruity smell,ester)

CONFIRMATORY TEST FOR CHLORIDE ( Cl− )

Cl- confirmed.
Curdy white precipitate soluble Cl-+ AgNO3 AgCl + NO3-
a. To the salt solution added
in NH4OH solution (white precipitate)
dil. HNO3 and AgNO3 AgCl +2NH4OH  [Ag(NH3)2]Cl+2H2O
solution. (soluble)

Cl- confirmed.
A greenish yellow colour gas is Cl-+MnO2+3H2SO4
b. A little of the salt is warmed HSO4-+MnSO4+2H2O+Cl2
formed on the sides of the test
with conc.H2SO4 (greenish yellow)
tube.
and a pinch of MnO2.

c. Chromyl Chloride Test: Cl- confirmed.

1 An orange red gas is evolved.
Mixed the given salt with 4MCl+ K2Cr2O7 + 3H2SO4
2
solid K2Cr2O7 and heated 2Na2SO4 + K2SO4 + 2CrO2Cl2 +3H2O
with conc. H2SO4 in a dry (orange red)

test tube.

Passed the red gas through Cl- confirmed.

A yellow solution is obtained. CrO2Cl2 + 4NaOH 
NaOH solution.
Na2CrO4 + 2H2O + 2NaCl
Acidified the yellow ( yellow)

solution with acetic acid

A yellow precipitate. Cl- confirmed.
and added lead acetate
Na2CrO4 + Pb (CH3COO)2
solution.
PbCrO4 + 2CH3COONa
(yellow precipitate)

Scheme of analysis of simple salt Page2

 Experiment Observation Inference
−
CONFIRMATORY TEST FOR NITRATE (NO 3 )
a. Brown ring test: To the
salt solution added an
equal volume of freshly −
prepared FeSO4 and then Brown ring at the liquid junction. NO 3 confirmed.
added conc. H2SO4 NO3- + H2SO4 HSO4- + HNO3
through the sides of the 6FeSO4 + 3H2SO4 + 2HNO3
test tube. 3Fe2(SO4)3+ 4H2O + 2NO
1 FeSO4 + NO+5H2O 
3 [Fe(NO)(H2O)5]SO4
(brown ring)

b. Diphenylamine test: To
the salt solution added a A deep blue colouration . −
few drops of NO 3 confirmed.
diphenylamine (C6H5)2NH.

CONFIRMATORY TEST FOR SULPHATE ( SO 2−

4 )

2−
White precipitate soluble in
1 SO4 confirmed.
To the salt solution added lead excess of hot ammonium
4 SO42-+ (CH3COO)2Pb
acetate solution. acetate. PbSO4 + CH3COO-
(white precipitate)

ANALYSIS OF CATIONS (BASIC RADICALS)

An original solution of salt is prepared by dissolving it in water. (If the salt is not soluble in water, ammonium salt is
absent. Then the original solution is to be prepared in minimum quantity of dil.HCl and diluted with water).
+
No precipitate. Group 0,NH4
1 To the salt solution added Na2CO3 Presence of
5 Solution. +
A precipitate. Absence of Group 0,NH4

2+
1
To the salt solution added dil. HCl. White precipitate. Presence of Group 1,Pb
6
1 To the salt solution added dil. HCl Presence of Group 2,Cu2+
Black precipitate.
7 and passed H2S gas.
presence of Group 3,Al3+
White gelatinous precipitate. Al3++3NH4OH  Al(OH)3 +3NH4+
1 To the salt solution added solid
(white gelatinous precipitate)
8 NH4Cl and NH4OH (excess).

Presence of Group 4,Zn2+

To the salt solution added solid White precipitate.
1
NH4Cl and NH4OH (excess)&
9
passed H2S gas. Presence of Group 4,Mn2+
Flesh coloured precipitate.
To the salt solution added solid Presence of Group 5,
2
NH4Cl, NH4OH(excess) and White precipitate. (Ba2+, Sr2+, Ca2+)
0
(NH4)2CO3 solution.
To the salt solution added solid
NH4C l, NH4OH (excess) and
2 disodium hydrogen phosphate Presence of Group 6,Mg2+
White crystalline precipitate.
1 ( Na2HPO4).Rub the inner side of
the test tube with glass rod.

CONFIRMATORY TESTS FOR CATIONS

+
Group O,( NH4 )
2
2 a. To the salt solution added
NaOH solution. It is Smell of ammonia which gives +
heated. dense white fumes with conc. NH4 confirmed.
HCl. [Glass rod is dipped in conc.HCl +
then shown to the mouth of the test NH4 + NaOH NH3 + H2O+Na+

Scheme of analysis of simple salt Page3

 Experiment Observation Inference
tube.] NH3 + HCl  NH4Cl
(dense white fumes)

b. To the salt solution added

Nessler’s reagent Brown precipitate. +
NH4 confirmed.
K2[Hgl4].
2K2[HgI4] + 4NH3+ H2O 
NH2 . HgO . HgI + 4KI + 3NH4I
(brown precipitate)

Group 1,( Pb2+)

2+
a. To the salt solution added Yellow precipitate. Pb confirmed.
Pb2+ + K2CrO4 PbCrO4 +2K+
acetic acid and
(yellow precipitate)
potassium chromate
2
(K2CrO4) solution.
3
b. To the salt solution added Yellow precipitate soluble in hot
2+
potassium iodide (Kl) water and appears as golden Pb confirmed.
solution. spangles on cooling. Pb2+ + 2KI  PbI2 + 2K+
(yellow precipitate)

Group 3,( Al3+)

a. To the salt solution NaOH Al3+ confirmed.

solution is added drop by Al3+ + 3NaOH  Al(OH)3 +3Na+
A white precipitate soluble in
drop till excess. (white precipitate)
excess NaOH. Al(OH)3 + NaOH  NaAlO2 + 2H2O
b. Ash Test: A little of the salt (soluble)
2 Al3+ confirmed.
solution is boiled with
4
conc. HNO3 and one to two
drops of cobalt nitrate Co(NO3)2  CoO + NO +O2
A blue ash is obtained. CoO+Al2O3  CoO.Al2O3
solution, a filter paper is
dipped in the solution and (blue ash)

the paper is burnt to ash.

Group 4,( Zn2+)

Zn2+ confirmed.
a. To the salt solution added A white precipitate soluble in Zn2++ 2NaOH  Zn(OH)2 + 2Na+
NaOH drop by drop to excess of NaOH. (white precipitate)
excess. Zn(OH)2 + 2NaOH 
Na2ZnO2 + 2H2O
b. Ash Test: A little of the salt (soluble)
2
solution is boiled with
5
conc. HNO3 and one to two Zn2+ confirmed.
drops of cobalt nitrate Green tinted ash.
solution, a filter paper is Co(NO3)2  CoO + NO +O2
dipped in the solution and
the paper is burnt to ash. CoO+ZnO  CoO.ZnO
(green tinted ash)

Group 5, ( Ba2+)
a. To a little of the salt Yellow precipitate. Ba2+ confirmed.
solution added acetic acid Ba2+ + K2CrO4 BaCrO4 + 2K+
and potassium chromate (yellow precipitate)

(K2CrO4) solution.
2
b. Flame Test: A little of the Pale green colouration.
6 Ba2+ confirmed.
salt is made into a paste
with conc. HCl in a watch
glass and the paste is
shown to the flame using a
splinter.
Group 5,( Ca2+)
2 a. To the salt solution added Ca2+ confirmed.
7 NH4OH and ammonium White precipitate. Ca2+ + (NH4)2C2O4

Scheme of analysis of simple salt Page4

 Experiment Observation Inference
oxalate solution.
CaC2O4 +2NH4+
b. Flame Test: A little of the
(white precipitate)
salt is made into a paste
with conc. HCl in a watch
glass and the paste is Brick red coloured flame.
Ca2+ confirmed.
shown to the flame using a
splinter.

REPORT:

The given salt contains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (. . . . . . . . . ) as anion and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (. . . . . .

. . . ) as cation. Therefore the salt is . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (. . . . . . . . . . . . . . ).

S.K.V.T.

Scheme of analysis of simple salt Page5