Analysis of Cations

Group Cations I Pb2+ II Pb2+ Cu2+ Cd2+ III Fe2+,Fe3+ Al3+ IV Co2+ Ni2+ Mn2+ Zn2+ V Ba2+ Sr2+ Ca2+ VI Mg2+ Reagent Dilute HCl H2S in the presence of Dilute HCl NH4Cl(s) + NH4OH H2S in the presence of NH4Cl(s) + NH4OH (NH4)2CO3in the presence of NH4Cl(s) + NH4OH NH4Cl (s) + NH4OH + Na2HPO4 Precipitate PbCl2 PbS CuS CdS Fe(OH)3 Al (OH)3 CoS NiS MnS ZnS BaCO3, SrCO3, CaCO3 Colour of Ppt White Black Black Yellow Reddish Brown Gelatinous white Black Black Buff(flesh) Dirty white White

MgNH4PO4

White

Preparation of original solution(O.S) Take a small amount of the given salt in a test tube. Dissolve it in distilled water. If it does not dissolve, heat it. If it is insoluble even after heating, dissolve the salt in minimum quantity of dilute HCl Experiment Identification Salt + NaOH solution and heat Observation Pungent smell of Ammonia giving dense white fumes of NH4Cl with a glass rod dipped in concentrated HCl No smell of Ammonia Brown precipitate of NH2HgO.HgI White precipitate No characteristic precipitate Black precipitate Yellow precipitate No characteristic precipitate Reddish brown ppt Gelatinous white Inference NH4+ indicated

Group 0

NH4+ absent NH4+confirmed Pb2+ indicated Pb2+ absent Cu2+ indicated Cd2+ indicated Cu2+ and Cd2+ absent Fe3+ indicated Al3+ indicated

Group 1

Confirmation O S + NaOH + Nesslers reagent (K2HgI4) O S + dilute HCl

Group II

O S + dilute HCl and then pass H2S gas

Group III

O S + NH4Cl(s) + excess NH4OH

In case the salt is light green,Fe2+ may be present.Then add 1 ml conc

ppt No characteristic precipitate

Fe3+ & Al3+ absent

Group IV

O S + NH4Cl(s)+ NH4OH and then pass H2S

Black precipitate Flesh coloured precipitate Dirty white precipitate No characteristic precipitate White precipitate No characteristic precipitate Crystalline white precipitate

Co2+ or Ni2+ indicated Mn2+ indicated Zn2+ indicated Co2+, Ni2+, Mn2+ and Zn2+ absent Ba2+ or Sr2+ or Ca2+ indicated Ba2+ or Sr2+ or Ca2+ absent Mg2+ identified and confirmed

Group V

O S + NH4Cl(s)+ NH4OH +conc. (NH4)2CO3(aq)

Group VI

O .S + NH4Cl+ NH4OH + Na2HPO4 solution

Analysis of Group I Group I Boil the white precipitate in 5 ml of water and divide into two parts Part I +KI solution Part II + K2CrO4 solution Yellow precipitate Yellow precipitate Pb2+ confirmed Pb2+ confirmed

Analysis of Group II Group II Black precipitate + 50% HNO3 .Boil Confirmation of Cu2+ Divide the blue solution into two parts Part I + NH4OH Precipitate dissolves to give a colourless solution. Precipitate dissolves to give a bluish green solution A light blue precipitate dissolving in excess ammonia to give a deep blue solution Chocolate brown precipitate Pb2+ is present.Confirma tion tests as given above. Cu2+ present Cu2+ confirmed

Part II + K4[Fe(CN)6] Confirmation of Cd2+ Yellow precipitate + 3-4 ml of yellow ammonium sulphide .Warm .Divide into two parts Part I+ K4[Fe(CN)6] Part II + NH4OH

Cu2+ confirmed

White or bluish white precipitate White precipitate soluble in excess NH4OH

Cd2+ confirmed Cd2+ confirmed

Analysis of Group III Group III Confirmation of Fe3+ Dissolve the reddish brown precipitate in dilute HCl and divide into two parts Part I + K4[Fe(CN)6] Part II + NH4CNS Prussian blue colouration Blood red colouration Fe3+ confirmed Fe3+ confirmed

Confirmation of Al3+ (Lake test) Dissolve the dirty white Blue precipitate precipitate in dilute HCl. floating in the Add two drops of blue litmus colourless solution solution. Add NH4OH drop by drop along the sides of the test tube

Al3+ confirmed

Analysis of Group IV Group IV Confirmation of Zn2+ Dissolve the dirty white precipitate in dilute HCl. Boil off H2S. Divide the solution in two parts Part I + NaOH

Part II + K4[Fe(CN)6] Confirmation of Mn2+ Dissolve the flesh coloured precipitate in dilute HCl. Boil off H2S. Add NaOH Confirmation of Ni2+ O S + NaOH O S + NH4OH + Dimethylglyoxime Confirmation of Co2+ O.S+ NH4CNS + Acetone, shaken well

White precipitate which dissolves in excess NaOH White or bluish white precipitate

Zn2+ confirmed Zn2+ confirmed

White precipitate which turns brown on standing

Mn2+ confirmed

Apple green precipitate Rosy red precipitate

Ni2+ confirmed Ni2+ confirmed

Blue organic layer

Co2+ confirmed

Analysis of Group V

Group V

Dissolve the white precipitate in minimum quantity of acetic acid and divide the solution into three parts.Test the three parts in the given sequence only. Part I + K2CrO4 Make a paste of the white precipitate with few drops of concentrated HCl and introduce this into a flame using a glass rod Part II+ (NH4)2SO4 Make a paste of the white precipitate with few drops of concentrated HCl and introduce this into a flame using a glass Yellow precipitate Apple green coloured flame Ba2+ confirmed Ba2+ confirmed

White precipitate Crimson red coloured flame

Sr2+ confirmed Sr2+ confirmed

SPECIMEN REPORT
(Assuming the salt to be Al(NO3)3) SALT ANALYSIS Experiment Note the colour of the salt Observation White Crystalline Inference Absence of Cu2+, Ni2+, Mn2+, Co2+ and Fe3+ NH4+, CH3COO and S2- may be absent Absence of heavy metal carbonates Absence of Pb2+ Hydrated salt.

2 3

Note the odour of the salt Solubility test To a pinch of salt taken in a test tube, add 2 ml of water To a pinch of salt ad 2 ml of dilute HCl Dry Heating test

No characteristic smell Soluble in water Soluble in dilute HCl Droplets of water near the mouth of the test tube No characteristic flame

Flame test Take little salt in a watch glass. Add a drop or two of concentrated HCl and make a paste. Introduce the paste into a non luminous flame using a glass rod.

Absence of Ba2+, Sr2+, Ca2+ and Cu2+

5 6

Salt + Dilute H2SO4 Salt + Concentrated H2SO4

Analysis of Anions No gas evolved Redish brown gas with pungent smell, gets intensified by addition of copper turnings

CO32-, SO32-, S2absent NO3- indicated

Confirmatory test for Nitrate (NO3)Salt solution + freshly prepared FeSO4 solution. Add concentrated H2SO4 along the sides of the test tube A brown ring at the junction of the two solutions NO3- confirmed

ANALYSIS OF CATIONS IDENTIFICATION Experiment Observation Salt + NaOH No smell of solution and heat Ammonia O S + Dilute HCl No characteristic precipitate O S + Dilute HCl No characteristic precipitate and pass H2S gas Gelatinous white OS + NH4Cl (s) precipitate +excess of NH4OH ANALYSIS OF GROUP III Confirmation of Al3+ (Lake Test) Dissolve the dirty white precipitate in dilute HCl. Add two drops of blue litmus solution. Add NH4OH drop by drop along the sides of the test tube Blue precipitate floating in the colourless solution Al3+ confirmed

Group 0 Group I Group II Group III

Inference NH4+ absent Pb2+ absent Cu2+, Hg2+, Cd2- and AS3+ absent Al3+ indicated

Result
The given salt contains Nitrate (NO 3-) as the Anion and Aluminium (Al 3+) as the Cation.