QUALITATIVE

ANALYSIS

NADIA SUBANCE
Qualitative Analysis
Preliminary Analysis
Colours of some common substances

Colour of Substance Possible Identity of Substance

White or colourless crystals or powder Sodium (Na+), potassium (K+),
ammonium (NH4+), Calcium (Ca2+),
Zinc (Zn2+)
Black powder Copper (II) oxide (CuO), iron (III) oxide
(FeO)
Blue / green powder or crystals Copper (II) (Cu2+), Iron (II) (Fe2+)
Yellowish / brown crystals Iron (III) (Fe3+)
Greyish, metallic powder Zinc, aluminium, iron, magnesium
Solubility

Substance Solubility in water

Nitrates All nitrates are soluble
Sodium, potassium and ammonium salts All are soluble
Sulphates All sulphates are soluble except for
BaSO4, CaSO4, and PbSO4
Chlorides All chlorides are soluble except for AgCl,
PbCl2.
Carbonates All carbonates are insoluble except for
Na2CO3, K2CO3, (NH4)2CO3
Oxides and Hydroxides All oxides and hydroxides are insoluble
except for Na2O, K2O, NaOH, KOH and
Ca(OH)2 (sparingly soluble)
Tests for gases with litmus paper
- Do not allow the litmus paper to touch the sides of the test tube or drop it into the reagent.

Gas Colour Odour Litmus paper (moist)

Oxygen colourless odourless No change
Hydrogen colourless odourless No change
Carbon dioxide colourless odourless Blue to Pink
Ammonia colourless Pungent (urine like) Red to Blue
Sulphur dioxide colourless Pungent (burning match) Blue to Red
Chlorine Greenish-Yellow Pungent (swimming pool Blue to red then White
water)
Hydrogen chloride Colourless/white fumes Pungent Blue to Red
Water vapour Colourless odourless No change
Nitrogen dioxide Reddish brown Irritating smell Blue to Red
Identification of gases
Gas Properties Test for presence of gas
A colourless gas. Has no Place a lighted splint near a test tube of hydrogen gas. A ‘squeaky pop’ is heard and
Hydrogen
smell the flame is extinguished.
A colourless gas. Has no
Oxygen Place a glowing splint into the gas. The glowing splint relights.
smell
Bubble the gas into limewater ( a solution of calcium hydroxide ). A white
precipitate forms:
Ca(OH)2(aq) + CO2(g) CaCO3(s) + H2O(l)
Carbon A colourless gas. Has no
Dioxide smell
The precipitate redissolves on continued bubbling due to the formation of soluble
calcium hydrogencarbonate:
CaCO3(s) + CO2(g) +H2O(l) Ca(HCO3)2(aq)
Hold a piece of moist red litmus paper in the gas. The litmus paper will turn blue in
colour. Ammonia reacts with water on the paper, forming the alkali ammonium
A colourless gas. Has a hydroxide:
sharp odour. Can make NH3(g) + H2O(l) NH4OH(aq)
Ammonia
your eyes water if it is
inhaled Place a drop of concentrated hydrochloric acid on a glass rod near the gas. White
fumes of ammonium chloride form:
NH3(g) + HCl(g) NH4Cl(s)
Gas Properties Test for presence of gas
Hydrogen A colourless gas. Has a Place a drop of concentrated ammonia solution on a glass rod near the gas. White fumes
Chloride sharp acid smell of ammonium chloride form, as above.
Bubble the gas into acidified potassium manganate (VII) solution. The solution turns from
purple to colourless. The MnO4- ion is reduced to the colourless Mn2+ ion.
Sulphur A colourless gas. Has a
Dioxide pungent odour
Bubble the gas into acidified potassium dichromate (VI) solution. The solution turns from
orange to green. The orange Cr2O72- ion is reduced to the green Cr3+ ion.
Hold a piece of moist blue litmus paper in the gas. The litmus will turn red and will be
bleached white. Chlorine reacts with water on the paper forming hydrochloric acid (HCl)
A yellowish green gas.
and chloric acid (HClO):
Chlorine Has a sharp odour. Is
poisonous
Cl2(g) + H2O(l) HCl(aq) + HClO(aq)
Chloric acid oxidises the coloured litmus to colourless
Nitrogen A toxic brown gas. Has Its brown colour makes it fairly easy to identify. A piece of moist blue litmus paper will
Dioxide a sharp, irritating odour turn red in the presence of the gas. The paper is not bleached.
Place a piece of dry cobalt chloride paper in the vapour. The paper will change from blue
to pink.
Water A colourless gas. Has
Vapour no smell
Bring anhydrous copper (II) sulphate into contact with the gas, it will go from white to
blue.
Identification of Cations
Identification of cations using sodium hydroxide solution.
All hydroxides are insoluble, except those of the group I metals. Thus if sodium hydroxide is added to a solution of metal ions,
it will form a precipitate since it makes a metal hydroxide.

Colour of precipitate
after dropwise Effect of adding excess sodium hydroxide
Cation Equation
addition of NaOH solution
solution

Ca2+ White Ca2+(aq) + 2OH-(aq) Ca(OH)2(s) Insoluble in excess

Al3+ White Al3+(aq) + 3OH-(aq) Al(OH)3(s) Soluble in excess giving a colourless solution

Zn2+ White Zn2+(aq) + 2OH-(aq) Zn(OH)2(s) Soluble in excess giving a colourless solution

Pb2+ White Pb2+(aq) + 2OH-(aq) Pb(OH)2(s) Soluble in excess giving a colourless solution

Fe2+ Green Fe2+(aq) + 2OH-(aq) Fe(OH)2(s) Insoluble in excess

Fe3+ Reddish Brown Fe3+(aq) + 3OH-(aq) Fe(OH)3(s) Insoluble in excess

Cu2+ Blue Cu2+(aq) + 2OH-(aq) Cu(OH)2(s) Insoluble in excess

NB. The precipitate that forms with aluminium, zinc and lead ions will disappear because they are amphoteric and react with
strong alkalis forming soluble salts.
If no precipitate forms on adding sodium hydroxide solution then warm the solution and test for the presence of ammonia gas
using moist red litmus paper. If it turns blue, the NH4+ ion is present.
NH4+(aq) + OH-(aq) NH3(g) + H2O(l)
Identification of cations using ammonia solution (ammonium hydroxide)
When ammonia solution (NH4OH) is added to a solution of a metal salt, it forms an insoluble metal hydroxide.

Colour of
precipitate after
Cation dropwise addition Equation Effect of adding excess ammonia
of ammonia
solution
Ca2+ No precipitate (or a Ca2+(aq) + 2OH-(aq) Ca(OH)2(s) No effect
very slight white)
Al3+ White Al3+(aq) + 3OH-(aq) Al(OH)3(s) Insoluble in excess
Zn2+ White Zn2+(aq) + 2OH-(aq) Zn(OH)2(s) Soluble in excess giving a colourless
solution
Pb2+ White Pb2+(aq) + 2OH-(aq) Pb(OH)2(s) Insoluble in excess
Fe2+ Green Fe2+(aq) + 2OH-(aq) Fe(OH)2(s) Insoluble in excess
Fe3+ Reddish brown Fe3+(aq) + 3OH-(aq) Fe(OH)3(s) Insoluble in excess
Cu2+ Blue Cu2+(aq) + 2OH-(aq) Cu(OH)2(s) Soluble in excess giving a deep blue solution
NB. When excess ammonia is added to Cu2+ solution and Zn2+ solution, the precipitate dissolves again. This is due to the
ammonia reacting further with the precipitate to produce a complex salt which is soluble.

Distinguishing between Al3+ and Pb2+ ions using potassium iodide solution.
Since both these ions forms a white precipitate with sodium hydroxide solution that is soluble in excess and a white precipitate
with ammonia that is insoluble in excess, it is necessary to perform a further test to distinguish between the two.
This is done using potassium iodide solution, whereby the Pb2+ ions will react giving a yellow precipitate of lead (II) iodide. The
Al3+ ions do not produce a precipitate.
Pb2+(aq) + 2I-(aq) PbI2(s)
Identification of anions
Identifications of anions by heating the solid

Anion Observation on heating Equation

CO32- Carbon dioxide evolved which forms a white precipitate in lime CO32-(s) heat O2-(s) + CO2(g)
water
NO3- Brown nitrogen dioxide evolved. Oxygen evolved which relights a 4NO3-(s) heat O2-(s) + 4NO2(g) + O2(g)
glowing splint.

Identifications of anions using dilute acid

Anion Observation on adding dilute acid Equation

CO32- Effervescence. Carbon dioxide evolved which forms a white CO32-(s) + 2H+(aq) H2O(l) + CO2(g)
precipitate in lime water.
SO32- Effervescence. Sulphur dioxide evolved on heating which turns SO32-(s) + 2H+(aq) H2O(l) + SO2(g)
acidified potassium manganate (VII) solution from purple to
colourless.
Identification of anions using concentrated sulphuric acid

Anion Observation on adding concentrated sulphuric acid

CO32- Carbon dioxide evolved which forms a white precipitate in lime water

SO32- Sulphur dioxide evolved which turns acidified potassium manganate (VII) solution from purple to
colourless

Cl- Hydrogen chloride evolved which forms white fumes with ammonia gas

Br- Orange-brown bromine vapour evolved

I- Black solid iodine produced which sublimes to a purple vapour if heated.

Identification of anions using silver nitrate solution

Anion Observations on adding silver nitrate solution Equation Observation on adding

ammonia solution
Cl- A white precipitate of silver chloride forms which Ag+(aq) + Cl-(aq) AgCl(s) Precipitate dissolves
turns slightly purple in sunlight
Br- A cream precipitate of silver bromide forms which Ag+(aq) + Br-(aq) AgBr(s) Precipitate partially dissolves
turns slightly green in sunlight
I- A pale yellow precipitate of silver iodide forms Ag+(aq) + I-(aq) AgI(s) Precipitate remains

Identification of anions using barium nitrate (or chloride) solution

Observations on adding
Anion Equation Observation on adding dilute acid
barium nitrate solution
SO42- A white precipitate forms Ba2+(aq) + SO42-(aq) BaSO4(s) White precipitate remains

SO32- A white precipitate forms Ba2+(aq) + SO32-(aq) BaSO3(s) Precipitate dissolves releasing sulphur
dioxide on heating
CO32- A white precipitate forms Ba2+(aq) + CO32-(aq) BaCO3(s) Precipitate dissolves releasing carbon
dioxide
Test for Nitrate
Test: Add a little sodium hydroxide solution and a few pieces of aluminium foil (or a spatula of aluminium powder) to the
unknown solution. Warm the mixture carefully. Test for ammonia gas.
Observation: Ammonia gas is given off. Gas turns damp red litmus paper blue.

Test: Add conc. sulphuric acid and copper turnings to solid. Warm gently.
Observation: Blue solution forms and nitrogen dioxide is evolved.

Test: Brown ring test: make a solution of the solid. Add saturated iron (II) sulphate solution and mix. Add conc. sulphuric acid
down side of test tube.
Observation: Sulphuric acid sinks, brown ring forms between the two liquid layers