Cations

Group Zero Group I Group II Group III Group IV Group V Group VI Group Group Reagent O.S. + NaOH + Heat O.S. + HCl O.S. + HCI + H2S O.S. +NH4Cl + NH4OH O.S. + NH4CI + NH4OH +H2S O.S. + NH4CI + NH4OH +(NH4)2CO3 O.S + NH4CI + NH4OH + NaH2PO4 Radicals NH4+ Pb2+ Cu2+ AI2+ ,Fe3+ Ni2+ ,Mn2+ , Zn2+ ,Co2+ Ba2+, Ca3+, Sr2+ Mg2+

Anions
Group I Group II Group Group Reagent Salt + dil. H2SO4 Salt + conc. H2SO4 Add Cu piece and heat Add KMnO4 soln. III Group IV Group O.S. + BaC!2 O.S + Conc.HNO3 + Heat + (NH4)24 MoO Radicals CO32-, SO32-, S2-, NO2Cl-, Br-, I-, CH3COONOc2o42so42PO43-

Preliminary Tests
Test Physical Appearance Colour White Blue Green Brown Red Light pink Odour Smell of NH3 Smell of vinegar NH4+, Pb2+, Al3+ , Zn2+, Ba2+, Ca2+ , Sr2+ and Mg2+ Cu2+ Ni2+ Fe3+ Co2+ Mn2+ NH4+ CH3COOObservation Inference

Smell of rotten eggs Dry Heating Colourless gas evolved Blown gas evolved Violet gas evolved Crackling sound Brown residue Flame Test Greenish blue Light green Brick red Crimson red

H2CO32- , SO32-, S2- and ClBr-, NO3IPb(NO3)2 and Ba(NO3)2 Cu2+ Cu2+ Ba2+ Ca2+ Sr2+

5. INORGANIC Qualitative TESTS Anions and Alkalis

TEST FOR Test for Carbonate ion CO hydrogencarbonate HCO323

TEST METHOD or (i) Add any dilute strong acid to the suspected solid carbonate - if colourless gas given off, test with limewater. (ii) Effect of fairly strong heating and testing for any carbon dioxide given off.

OBSERVATIONS TEST CHEMISTRY (i) Fizzing colourless gas which turns limewater milky cloudy fine white precipitate (see above CO2). (i) Any carbonate/hydrogencarbonate + acid ==> salt + water + carbon dioxide, then white precipitate with limewater. The ionic equations are for carbonate ... CO32-(s) + 2H+(aq) ==> H2O(l) + CO2(g) and for hydrogencarbonate ... 2HCO3-(s) + 2H+(aq) ==> H2O(l) + CO2(g) (ii) The thermal decomposition equations are for carbonates MCO3(s) ==>MO(s) + CO2(g) e.g. M = Mg, Zn, CuO and note that some give clear colour changes in the solid which might be useful to identify the metal (see heating carbonates in metal cation section) and for sodium

(ii) There might be colour changes in the solid, but you need to collect a sample of gas from just above the Acid is added to the solid heated solid to see Test (ii) will carbonate in a test tube. You it gives a white distinguish could also collect a sample of gas sodium precipitate with from a heated carbonate, i.e. the hydrogencarbonate limewater. solid is where the liquid is in the (NaHCO3 readily left hand test tube. decomposes Apart from 'baking powder') hydrated sodium Methods of gas preparation are from anhydrous carbonate, sodium described in more detail on sodium carbonate hydrogencarbonate another page. (Na2CO3, thermally is one of the few very stable). common carbonates to give off water on heating and condenses on side of test tube, but

basic carbonates will also give off H2O as well as CO2. Sulphate ion or sulphate(VI) ion (i) To a solution of SO42the suspected sulfate add dilute hydrochloric and a If the solution also contains the chloride ion, you test with barium few drops of barium chloride/ ions 1st, filter off any barium sulphate precipitate and then test nitrate solution. for chloride ion. This is because silver sulphate is also ~insoluble. (ii) Add lead(II) nitrate solution. (i) A white precipitate of barium sulfate. (ii) A white precipitate of lead(II) sulphate. Test (i) is more definitive.

hydrogencarbonate ... 2NaHCO3(s) ==> Na2CO3(s) + H2O(l) + CO2(g) (i) Ba2+(aq) + SO42-(aq) ==> BaSO4(s) Any soluble barium salt + any soluble sulphate forms a white dense barium sulphate precipitate. (ii) Pb2+(aq) + SO42-(aq) ==> PbSO4(s) Neither white precipitate is soluble in excess hydrochloric acid.

Sulphite ion or sulphate(IV) ion (i) Add dilute SO32hydrochloric acid to the suspected Test (iii) is easily unreliable, the sulfite. sulphite ion is oxidised by air (dissolved oxygen) to give the (ii) Test any gas sulphate ion, so you will lucky to evolved with fresh obtain a clear solution after potassium adding excess acid. dichromate(VI) paper.

(i) Acrid (i) Any sulphite salt + choking hydrochloric acid ==> chloride sulfur salt + sulphur dioxide. dioxide gas formed. (ii) The sulphur dioxide reduces (ii) The dichromate the dichromate(VI) to paper turns from chromium(III). Note: sulphites do orange to green. not give ppt. with acidified barium chloride/nitrate because sulphites (iii) A white ppt. of dissolve in acids. barium sulphite (iii) Add barium which dissolves in (iii) Ba2+(aq) + SO32-(aq) ==> chloride or barium excess BaSO3(s) nitrate solution. hydrochloric acid to give a clear BaSO3(s) + 2HCl(aq) ==> BaCl2(aq) colourless solution. + H2O(l) + SO2(aq) (i) Pb2+(aq) + S2(aq) => PbS(s) (ii) MS(s) + 2H+(aq) => M2+(aq) + H2S(g) (e.g. M = Pb, Fe, Cu, Ni etc.) Then reaction (i) above occurs on the lead(II) ethanoate paper (old name lead acetate).

Sulphide ion S2-

(i) If soluble, add a (i) Black few drops lead(II) precipitate of lead In test (ii) dangerous hydrogen ethanoate solution. sulphide. sulphide is formed. (ii) If solid, add dil. (ii) Rotten egg HCl(aq) acid, test smell of hydrogen smelly gas with sulphide and the damp lead(II) H2S gas turns ethanoate paper lead(II) ethanoate (old name lead paper black. acetate). Chloride ion (i) If the chloride is soluble, add dilute nitric acid and Cl silver nitrate solution. The silver If the solution also contains the sulphate ion, you test with barium nitrate is acidified (i) white precipitate of silver chloride soluble in dilute ammonia.

(i) Ag+(aq) + Cl-(aq) ==> AgCl(s) Any soluble silver salt + any soluble chloride gives a white silver chloride precipitate, that

ions 1st, filter off any barium sulphate precipitate and then test for chloride ion. This is because silver sulphate is also ~insoluble, so the two precipitates of silver sulfate and silver chloride could not be distinguished

with dilute nitric acid to prevent the (ii) You get precipitation of nasty other non-halide fumes of hydrogen silver salts. chloride which turn blue litmus red and (ii) If insoluble salt, give a white add conc. sulphuric precipitate with acid, warm if silver nitrate necessary then solution. test gas as for HCl. (iii) A white ppt. of lead(II) chloride is (iii) Add lead(II) formed. nitrate solution. Not a very specific test - test (i) is best. (i) If bromide soluble, add dilute nitric acid and silver nitrate solution. The silver nitrate is acidified with dilute nitric acid to prevent the precipitation of other non-halide silver salts.

darkens in light. (ii) Cl-(s) + H2SO4(l) ==> HSO4-(s) + HCl(g) , then Ag+(aq) + Cl-(aq) ==> AgCl(s) (iii) Pb2+(aq) + 2Cl-(aq) ==> PbCl2(s)

Bromide ion Br-

(i) Cream (i) Ag+(aq) + Brprecipitate (aq) ==> AgBr(s) of silver bromide, only Any soluble silver salt + any soluble in soluble bromide gives a cream concentrated silver bromide precipitate. ammonia.

(ii) The bromide ion is oxidised to (ii) Orange vapour bromine and the sulphuric acid is of bromine and reduced to sulphur dioxide. pungent fumes of SO2, test for (iii) Pb2+(aq) + 2Br-(aq) ==> PbBr2(s) (ii) If insoluble salt, sulphur dioxide. add conc. sulphuric acid, warm if (iii) A white ppt. of necessary. lead(II) bromide is formed. (iii) Add lead(II) nitrate solution. Not a very specific test - test (i) is best. Fluoride Ion FFluoride and hydrogen fluoride gas are harmful, irritating and corrosive substances. (i) If the suspected fluoride is soluble add dilute nitric acid and silver nitrate solution. (i) There is NO precipitate! (i) Silver fluoride, AgF, is moderately soluble so this test proves little except that it isn't chloride, bromide and iodide! (ii) Hydrogen fluoride gas is produced by displacement F- + H2SO4 ==> HSO4- + HF which reacts with the glass silica to form silicic acid, silicon oxyfluoride, silicon fluoride. The chemistry is messy and complex BUT the glass rod is clearly etched.

(ii) Look for etching effects on the surface of the (ii) You can warm a glass rod. solid fluoride with conc. sulphuric acid and hold in the fumes (ONLY!) a glass rod with a drop of water on the end.

Iodide ion I-

(i) If iodide soluble, add dilute nitric acid and silver nitrate solution. The silver nitrate is acidified with dilute nitric acid to prevent the precipitation of other non-halide silver salts.

(ii) iodide ion is oxidised to iodine and the sulphuric acid is reduced (ii) purple vapour to 'rotten eggs' smelly hydrogen and rotten egg sulphide, smell! (iii) insoluble lead(II) iodide (iii) Yellow formed (ii) If insoluble salt precipitate of can heat with conc. lead(II) iodide. Not Pb2+ + 2I- ==> PbI (aq) (aq) 2(s) sulphuric acid, (ii) too definitive -Test get purple fumes of (i) best. iodine and very smelly hydrogen sulphide. (iii) If iodide soluble, add lead(II) nitrate solution. Nitrate ion or nitrate(V) (i) Boil the ion NO3suspected nitrate with sodium hydroxide solution and fine aluminium powder (Devarda's Alloy) or aluminium foil. (ii) Add iron(ii) sulphate solution and then conc. sulphuric acid (the 'brown ring' test) (i) the fumes contain ammonia, which turns red litmus blue, see ammonia test details (i) The aluminium powder is a powerful reducing agent and converts the nitrate ion, NO3-, into ammonia gas, NH3 (ii) NO complex of iron(II) formed

(i) Yellow precipitate of silver iodide insoluble in concentrated ammonia.

(i) Ag+(aq) + I-(aq) ==> AgI(s) , any soluble silver salt + any soluble iodide ==> silver iodide precipitate,

(iii) a general thermal (ii) Where the decomposition equation for this liquids meet a reaction is brown ring forms 2M(NO3)2(s) ==> 2MO(s) + 4NO2(g) + O2(g) where M = Pb, Zn, Mg, Cu etc.

(iii) Nasty brown gas (beware!) of (iii) Strongly nitrogen (IV) heating nitrates of oxide (nitrogen M2+ salts. dioxide)

Nitrite ion or nitrate(III) No simple test to clearly i.d. it, (i) in acid solution it decomposes to give ion NO2colourless NO gas which rapidly oxidises to nasty brown fumes of NO2, (ii) it decolourises (purple ==> colourless) acidified potassium manganate(VII), (iii) it liberates iodine from acidified potassium iodide solution, (iv) forms ammonia with hot Al powder-foil/NaOH(aq) (see nitrate test) and gives 'brown ring' test - see nitrate tests above. Alkali: Hydroxide ion i.e. a soluble base (alkali) which forms the OH- ion in water (note: to completely identify alkalis you (i) Litmus or (i) It turns litmus universal indicator blue, variety of or pH meter. colours univ. ind. dark green - violet (ii) Add a little of an for weak - strong. (i) A pH meter gives a value of more than 7, the higher the pH number the stronger the alkali, the higher the OH- concentration, (ii) ammonia gas is evolved:

need to test for the cation e.g. sodium for NaOH etc.)

ammonium salt.

(ii) If strongly (ii) Ammonia alkaline ammonia released from the salt. should be released, see ammonia test NH4+(aq) + OH-(aq) ==> NH3(g) + for rest of details H2O(l) (i) The yellow (i) CrO42-(aq) + 2H+(aq) ==> Cr2O72solution turns (aq) orange as the dichromate(VI) ion (ii) Ba2+(aq) + CrO42-(aq) ==> is formed. BaCrO4(s) (ii) A yellow precipitate of barium chromate(VI) is formed. (iii) A yellow precipitate of lead(II) chromate(VI) is formed. 'lead chromate' (iii) Pb2+(aq) + CrO42-(aq) ==> PbCrO4(s)

Chromate(VI) ion CrO42- (yellow)

(i) Add dilute sulphuric acid.

(ii) Add barium These tests are not very definitive, chloride/nitrate solution. but collectively they are a good 'pointer'! (iii) Add lead(II) nitrate solution.