Experiment

Observation

Inference

PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS
1. Noted Colour + appearance a) colourless crystals
of salt

2. Noted the solubility in

water

Absence of Cu 2+ , Fe 2+
, Mn 2+ , etc.
May be halides,
nitrates, sulphates

b) colourless amorphous

Maybe carbonates

a) soluble

May be halides,
nitrates, sulphates

b) insoluble

May be carbonates

3. Flame Test
A little of salt is made into a) Pale green flame
a paste with conc. HCl. A
b) Brick red flame
little of this paste is taken
on a glass rod and shown to c) Crimson red flame
the non-luminous Bunsen
flame.

Presence of Ba 2+
Presence of Ca 2+
Presence of Sr 2+

4. Ash Test
A little of the salt is mixed a) A blue tinted ash
with a few drops of conc.
b) A green tinted ash
HNO3 and cobalt nitrate
c) A pink tinted ash
solution. A multi-folded
filter paper is soaked in this
and burnt to ash

Presence of

Al 3+

Presence of Zn 2+
Presence of Mg 2+

Experiment

Observation

Inference

Analysis of Anion
1. Test for CO32
A little of the salt is treated
with dil. HCl

F
Brisk effervescence with
liberation of a colourless,
odourless gas.

Presence of CO32

Confirmatory test for

CO32

A little of the salt is treated

with dil. HCl and the
evolved gas is passed
through limewater.

f
Lime water turns milky

Presence of CO32
confirmed

2. Test for halides Cl , Br

A little of the salt is treated
with a few drops of conc.
H 2 SO4

a) A colourless gas giving

dense white fumes with
ammonia solution on a glass
rod

Presence of Cl

b) Reddish brown vapours

evolved and the solution
turns reddish brown

Presence of Br

Confirmatory test for

halides
1ml of salt solution is

a) A curdy white precipitate

acidified with dil. HNO3 and completely soluble in
a few drops of AgNO3
solution is added

Presence of Cl
confirmed

NH 4 OH

b) A pale yellow precipitate

partially soluble in NH 4 OH

Presence of Br
confirmed

Experiment

Observation

Inference

1. Test for Nitrates

A little of the salt is treated
with conc. H 2 SO4 and
warmed. To this 1-2 pieces
of copper turnings are added

Reddish brown fumes and

the solution turns greenishblue

Presence of NO3

confirmatory for NO3

Confirmatory test for NO3

(Brown ring test)

To a little of the aqueous

A brown ring at the junction
solution of the salt a few
of two liquids
drops of dil. H 2 SO4 followed
by a few drops of freshly
prepared FeSO4 solution are
added. Conc. H 2 SO4 is added
along the sides of the test
tube slowly by slightly
tilting it.

Presence of NO3
confirmed

4. Test for SO42

To a little of the aqueous
solution of the salt a few
drops of dil. HCl and BaCl 2
solutions are added.

A thick white precipitate

2
Presence of SO4

Confirmatory Test for SO42

To a little of the aqueous
A thick white precipitate
solution of the salt, 1-2
drops of acetic acid and lead
acetate solutions are added.

2
Presence of SO4
confirmed

Experiment

Observation

Inference

Analysis of Basic Radicals

Analysis of NH 4+
To a small amount of the
salt add NaOH solution and
shake (warm).

Confirmatory test for

A pungent smelling gas

giving dense white fumes
with conc. HCl taken on a
glass rod

Presence of NH 4+

A chocolate brown
precipitate is formed

Presence of
confirmed

NH 4+

To the above solution add

Nesslers reagent drop wise

NH 4+

Dissolve the salt in a suitable solvent (water or dil. HCl if it is insoluble in water) for
group I VI detection. Original salt solution is prepared by dissolving the salt in
water. If the salt is insoluble, make the solution in conc. HCl.
Test for group I ( Pb 2+ )
To a little of the salt solution
dil. HCl is added.

A thick white precipitate

(dissolving on warming
with water).

Presence of group
I ( Pb 2+ )

a) A yellow precipitate

Presence of Cd 2+

b) A black precipitate

Presence of Cu 2+

A gelatinous white
precipitate

Presence of group
III ( Al 3+ )

Test for group II ( Cu 2+ ,Cd 2+ )

To a little of the salt solution,
dil. HCl is added and H 2 S
gas is passed.
Test for group III ( Al 3+ )
To a little of the salt solution
add excess solid NH 4 Cl and
NH 4 OH .

Experiment

Observation

Inference

Test for group IV ( Zn 2+ )

To a little of salt solution add
solid NH 4 Cl (excess),

A dull white precipitate

Presence of group
IV ( Zn 2+ )

A thick white precipitate

Presence of group
V ( Ba 2+ , Sr 2+ , Ca 2+ )

White precipitate formed

Presence of group
VI ( Mg 2+ )

A yellow precipitate

Presence of Pb 2+
confirmed
Presence of Pb 2+
confirmed

NH 4 OH and H 2 S gas is

passed.
Test for group V( Ba 2+ , Sr 2+ ,
Ca 2+ )
To a little of the salt solution
solid NH 4 Cl (excess),
NH 4 OH and (NH 4 )2 CO3 are

added.
Test for group VI ( Mg 2+ )
To a little of the salt solution
solid NH 4 Cl , NH 4 OH and
disodium hydrogen phosphate
( Na 2 HPO4 ) are added.
Confirmatory Test for
group I ( Pb 2+ )
Divide salt solution into two
parts:
1. To one part add K 2 CrO4
solution
2. To the second part add KI
solution

A yellow precipitate

Experiment

Observation

Inference

Confirmatory Test for

group II ( Cd 2+ )
A white precipitate
1. To a little of the salt
solution NaOH solution is
added.
A bluish white or greenish
2. To a little of the salt
solution potassium ferro- white precipitate
cyanide K 4 [ Fe(CN ) 6 ] is
added.

Presence of Cd 2+
confirmed
Presence of Cd 2+
confirmed

Confirmatory Test for

group III ( Al 3+ )
1. The gelatinous white
precipitate is dissolved in
minimum quantity of dil.
HCl. A drop of blue
litmus solution is added
followed by NH 4 OH .
2. Ash test performed

A blue lake is formed on the

surface of the solution

Presence of Al 3+
confirmed

Blue tinted ash

Presence of Al 3+
confirmed

A white precipitate soluble in

excess of NaOH

Presence of Zn 2+
confirmed

A bluish white or greenish

white precipitate

Presence of Zn 2+
confirmed

Green tinted ash

Presence of Zn 2+
confirmed

Confirmatory Test for

group IV ( Zn 2+ )
1. To a little of the salt
solution dil. NaOH is
added.
2. To a little of the salt
solution K 4 [ Fe(CN ) 6 ] is
added.
3. Ash test performed

Experiment

Observation

Inference

Analysis for group V

Group V precipitate is
dissolved in acetic acid and
divided into three parts
Confirmatory Test for Ba 2+
1. To the first part add K 2 CrO4
solution.
2. Flame test performed

A yellow precipitate
Green coloured flame

Confirmatory Test for

Sr 2+
1. To the second part add
( NH 4 ) 2 SO4 solution
2. Flame test performed

A scanty white precipitate

Crimson red flame

Confirmatory Test for

Presence of Ba 2+
confirmed
Presence of Ba 2+
confirmed

Presence of Sr 2+
confirmed
2+
Presence of Sr
confirmed

Ca 2+

1. To the third part add

ammonium oxalate
( NH 4 ) 2 C 2 O4
2. Flame test performed

A thick white precipitate

Presence of Ca 2+
confirmed

Brick red flame

Presence of Ca 2+
confirmed

A blue precipitate

Presence of Mg 2+
confirmed

Confirmatory Test for

group VI ( Mg 2+ )
1. To salt solution add NaOH
solution and 2-3 drops of
magneson reagent
2. Ash test performed

Pink tinted ash

Presence of Mg 2+
confirmed