QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS OF SALTS

1. Qualitative analysis – is a chemical technique used to determine the identities of

chemical substances present in a mixture but not their quantities.
2. Qualitative analysis of salt – scheme of tests carried out to identify the CATION
AND ANION present in the salt.
3. The technique of qualitative analysis includes :
a. Observe the colour of the SALT or the colour of the SALT SOLUTION
b. Observe the EFFECT OF HEAT on the salt
c. Identify the GAS FORMED when a test is performed on the salt
d. Observe the SOLUBILITY in water
e. Identify the PRECIPITATE formed, when a specific chemical reagent is
added to the aqueous salt solution
f. Carry out CONFIRMATORY TESTS (specific chemical test), to confirm the
identity of cation or anion present in the salt

CONFIRMATORY TESTS
4. THE COLOUR OF SALT OR AQUEOUS SALT SOLUTION
a. Most salts are white, and when dissolved in water, will form colourless
aqueous salt solution
COLOUR SOLID SOLUTION
White or colourless Salts of Na+, K+, NH4+, Mg2+, Solution of salts of Na+, K+,
Ca2+, Ba2+, Al3+, Pb2+, Zn2+ NH4+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Ba2+, Al3+,
(only if all the anions are Pb2+, Zn2+
colourless too)
Yellow PbO, PbI2, PbCrO4, BaCrO4 Solution of salts of Fe3+,
CrO42-, chromate
Blue Hydrated Cu salt
2+
Cu2+
CuSO4, Cu(NO3)2 , Cu(OH)2 CuSO4, Cu(NO3)2
Green CuCO3, CuCl2 Fe2+
FeSO4 , Fe(NO3)2 , FeCl2 , FeSO4 , Fe(NO3)2 , FeCl2 ,
Fe(OH)2 ,
Black CuO, CuS, FeO, FeS -
Brown Fe2(SO4)3 , Fe(NO3)3 , Fe3+, Cr2O72- dichromate
FeCl3 , Fe(OH)3 , (orange)

5. SOLUBILITY OF SALTS IN WATER

Type of salts Solubility n water

Salts of Na+, K+, NH4+ All are soluble
Nitrate All are soluble
Sulphate All are soluble EXCEPT BaSO4, PbSO4, CaSO4
Chloride All are soluble EXCEPT AgCl, HgCl, PbCl2
Carbonate All are INSOLUBLE EXCEPT Na2CO3, K2CO3 ,
(NH4)2CO3
Oxide All are INSOLUBLE EXCEPT Na2O, K2O , CaO
(slightly soluble)
Hydroxide All are INSOLUBLE EXCEPT KOH, NaOH, Ca(OH)2,

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 Ba(OH)2

6. Test of gases
Name of gas Colour of Smell of Effect on damp Confirmatory test
gas gas litmus
Oxygen, O2 Colourless No smell No effect - Test the gas with a glowing wooden splinter.
- The gas Will RElight the glowing wooden
splinter
Hydrogen, H2 Colourless No smell No effect Test the gas with a lighted wooden splinter.
The gas will extinguish THE lighted wooden
splinter with a ‘pop’ sound
Carbon dioxide, Colourless No smell Moist blue Will turn limewater chalky
CO2 litmus change
to red (ACID)
Ammonia, NH3 Colourless Pungent Moist red When a glass rod dipped into concentrated HCl
smells like litmus change is placed near the mouth of the test tube with
urine to blue ammonia, white fumes are formed (NH4Cl)
(ALKALI)
Hydrogen Colourless Pungent Moist blue When a glass rod dipped into concentrated
Chloride, HCl litmus change ammonia is placed near the mouth of the test
to red (ACID) tube with HCl, white fumes are formed (NH4Cl)
Sulphur dioxide, Colourless Pungent Moist blue Will decolourises the purple colour of acidified
SO2 litmus change potassium manganate (VII)
to red (ACID) Or
Will change the colour of acidified potassium
dichromate (VI) solution from orange to green
Name of gas Colour of Smell of Effect on Confirmatory test
gas gas damp litmus
Nitrogen dioxide, Brown Pungent Moist blue
NO2 litmus change NO, ALREADY CONFIRMED BY ITS COLOUR
to red (ACID)
Chlorine, Cl2 Yellowish Choking Decolourises
green moist red or
blue litmus
NO, ALREADY CONFIRMED BY ITS COLOUR
Bleaching
effect
(ACIDIC)

7. HEATING TESTS ON SALTS

CARBONATE SALTS Effect of heat
Potassium carbonate Will not decomposes (nothing happen)
Sodium carbonate
Decompose to metal oxide & CO2
Calcium carbonate CaCO3 → CaO + CO2

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Magnesium carbonate MgCO3 (s) → MgO (s) + CO2
Zinc carbonate ZnCO3 (s) → ZnO (s) + CO2
Iron (III) carbonate Fe2(CO3)3 (s) → Fe2O3 (s) + 3CO2
Lead (II) carbonate PbCO3 (s) → PbO (s) + CO2
Copper (II) carbonate CuCO3 (s) → CuO (s) + CO2
Decomposes to CO2, NH3 & water vapour without any residue
(NH4)2CO3(s) → 2NH3(g) + H2O(g) + CO2(g)
Ammonium carbonate
H2O can change dry blue cobalt chloride paper to pink

NITRATE SALTS EFFECT OF HEAT

Decomposes to metal nitrite & oxygen gas
Potassium nitrate 2KNO3 (s) → 2KNO2 (s) + O2 (g)
Sodium nitrate 2NaNO3 (s) → 2NaNO2 (s) + O2 (g)
Decomposes to metal oxide, oxygen gas & nitrogen dioxide gas
Calcium nitrate 2Ca(NO3)2 (s) → 2CaO(s) + O2 (g) + 4NO2 (g)
Magnesium nitrate 2Mg(NO3)2 (s) → 2MgO(s) + O2 (g) + 4NO2 (g)
Aluminium nitrate 4Al(NO3)3 (s) → 2Al2O3(s) + 3O2 (g) + 12NO2 (g)
Zinc nitrate 2Zn(NO3)2 (s) → 2ZnO(s) + O2 (g) + 4NO2 (g)
Iron (III) nitrate 4Fe(NO3)3 (s) → 2Fe2O3 (s) + 3O2 (g) + 12NO2 (g)
Lead (II) nitrate 2Pb(NO3)2 (s) → 2PbO(s) + O2 (g) + 4NO2 (g)
Copper (II) nitrate 2Cu(NO3)2 (s) → 2CuO(s) + O2 (g) + 4NO2 (g)
Decomposes to water vapour & nitrous oxide gas without any residue
Ammonium nitrate NH4NO3 (s) → 2H2O (g) + N2O (g)

AMMONIUM SALTS EFFECT ON HEAT

All ammonium salts Will produce ammonia gas (NH3) except for ammonium nitrate (N2O)

SULPHATE SALTS EFFECT ON HEAT

Most sulphate salts Stable & do not decomposes when heated EXCEPT:
Will decomposes to sulphur dioxide OR sulphur trioxide
Iron (II) sulphate 2FeSO4 (s) → Fe2O3 (s) + SO2 (g) + SO3 (g)
Zinc sulphate ZnSO4 (s) → ZnO (s) + SO3 (g)
Copper (II) sulphate CuSO4 (s) → CuO (s) + SO3 (g)

CHLORIDE SALTS EFFECT ON HEAT

Most chloride salts Stable & do not decomposes when heated EXCEPT :
Ammonium chloride NH4Cl (s) → NH3 (g) + HCl(g)

8. So, when a salt is heated

a. The types of gas evolved has to be identified –-- This will give the
information on the ANION (or CATION , NH4+) present
b. The colour change of the solid in the test tube must be recorded. ---This
will give information regarding the type of CATION present.

Type of gas produced Type of ion

CO2 Carbonate ion, CO32- ( except Na2CO3 & K2CO3)
O2 Only (NaNO3 & KNO3)

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 NO2 & O2 Nitrate ion, NO3- (except NaNO3, NH4NO3 & KNO3)
SO2 Sulphate ion, SO42- (only zinc, iron, copper)
NH3 Ammonium ion, NH4+

9. Most salts that decomposes produced METAL OXIDES as residue. The change
of colour during heating gives a good indication towards the types of metal oxide
formed.
Original colour Colour of residue after heating Metal oxide Cations present in
of salt produced salt
White Yellow when hot, white when cold ZnO Zn2+
White Brown when hot, yellow when cold PbO Pb2+
Blue / green Black CuO Cu2+
Green / brown Black Fe2O3 Fe3+ / Fe2+

10. TEST FOR THE PRESENTS OF ANIONS IN AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS

Reagent HCl (aq) HNO3 (aq) HNO3 (aq) & Pb(NO3) (aq) Other test
/ or followed Ba(NO3)2
HNO3 (aq) by AgNO3 or
Anion (aq) HCl (aq) &
BaCl2 (aq)
Gas evolved
White precipitate
CO32- turns lime - - -
soluble in acid
water milky
Salt solution +
dilute H2SO4 +
NO3- - - - - freshly made FeSO4 +
concentrated H2SO4 :
Brown ring is formed
White White precipitate
SO42- - -
precipitate soluble in acid
(i) Heat solid salt +
concentrated H2SO4 :
White precipitate HCl gas is produced
White
Cl- - - soluble in acid or (ii) Heat solid salt + MnO2
precipitate
when heated + concentrated
H2SO4 : Cl2 gas is
produced

11. TEST FOR CATIONS

a. The cations usually tested : Al3+, Pb2+, Zn2+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Fe2+, Fe3+, Cu2+, &
NH4+ ions
b. An aqueous solution of the cation is prepared by
i. Dissolving the salt in water (if the salt soluble in water)
ii. Dissolving the salt in dilute acid & then filter (if the salt is
insoluble in water) – the filtrate contains the cation
2+ 2- + -
PbSO4 + HNO3 = H2SO4 + Pb(NO3)2

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 c. The aqueous solution is then tested with
i. NaOH
ii. NH3 (aq)
iii. A specific reagent as a confirmatory test
iv. NaOH & NH3 will supply OH- to produce metal hydroxides

12. COLOURS OF METAL HYDROXIDES

Observation Formula of metal hydroxide Cation present

Blue precipitate Cu(OH)2 Cu2+
Dirty green Fe(OH)2 Fe2+
precipitate
Brown precipitate Fe(OH)3 Fe3+
White precipitate Al(OH)3, Pb(OH)2, Zn(OH)2, Al3+, Pb2+, Zn2+, Mg2+, Ca2+
Mg(OH)2, Ca(OH)2,
No precipitate - Na+, K+, NH4+

13. HYDROXIDE TEST FOR CATIONS

Cation A little NaOH (aq) Excess NaOH (aq) A little NH3(aq) Excess NH3(aq)
NH4+ No precipitate No precipitate No precipitate No precipitate
formed, formed, formed formed
NH3 gas evolved NH3 gas evolved
when heated when heated
Pb2+ White precipitate White precipitate White White
soluble in excess precipitate precipitate
NaOH insoluble in
excess NH3
Zn2+ White precipitate White precipitate White White
soluble in excess precipitate precipitate
NaOH soluble in excess
NH3
Al3+ White precipitate White precipitate White White
soluble in excess precipitate precipitate
NaOH insoluble in
excess NH3
Cation A little NaOH (aq) Excess NaOH (aq) A little NH3(aq) Excess NH3(aq)
Mg2+ White precipitate White precipitate White White
insoluble in excess precipitate precipitate
NaOH insoluble in
excess NH3
Ca2+ White precipitate White precipitate No precipitate No precipitate
insoluble in excess formed formed
NaOH
Cation A little NaOH (aq) Excess NaOH (aq) A little NH3(aq) Excess NH3(aq)
Cu2+ Blue precipitate Blue precipitate Blue precipitate Blue precipitate
insoluble in excess soluble in excess
NaOH NH3 to form

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 DARK BLUE
solution
Fe2+ Dirty green Dirty green Dirty green Dirty green
precipitate precipitate insoluble precipitate precipitate
in excess NaOH insoluble in
excess NH3
Fe3+ Brown precipitate Brown precipitate Brown Brown
insoluble in excess precipitate precipitate
NaOH insoluble in
excess NH3

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 14. CONFIRMATORY TESTS FOR Pb2+, NH4+, Fe2+, Fe3+ IONS

CATIONS SPECIFIC REAGENT OBSERVATION

KI, NaI, Pb – Yellow precipitate,
soluble in hot water &
recrystallises when cooled
Al – white precipitate
KCl, NaCl, HCl Pb – White precipitate,
soluble in hot water &
Pb2+ recrystallises when cooled
Al – white precipitate –
Al soluble in water

K2SO4, Na2SO4, Pb – White precipitate,

H2SO4, insoluble in hot water
Al – white precipitate soluble
in water

NH4+ Nesslar reagent Brown precipitate

Potassium Light blue precipitate
hexacyanoferrate
(II), K4Fe(CN)6
Fe2+ Potassium Prussian blue (dark blue)
hexacyanoferrate precipitate
(III), K3Fe(CN)6
Acidified KMnO4 Purple colour decolourises
Potassium thiocyanate, Blood red colour
KSCN
Potassium Turnbull’s blue (dark blue)
hexacyanoferrate precipitate
Fe3+
(II), K4Fe(CN)6
Potassium Greenish-brown solution
hexacyanoferrate
(III), K3Fe(CN)6

Fe(NO3)3 Iron (III) nitrate

TO DESCRIBE A TEST
- u must write
i. name of the test (if any)
ii. “mini” procedure of the test
iii. Observable result
- brown ring test
- Add dilute sulphuric acid to salt P solution
- Add freshly made Iron (II) sulphate solution
- Slowly add concentrated Sulphuric acid to the solution

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- A brown ring can be seen