Salt Analysis

What is Salt Analysis?

Salt analysis (also known as systematic qualitative analysis or qualitative inorganic analysis)
involves the identification of the cation and anion of an inorganic salt. This is done by
conducting a series of tests in a systematic manner and using the observations to confirm the
absence or presence of specific cations and anions. Salt analysis is an integral part of the
CBSE class 12 chemistry practical examinations and is a topic that several students struggle
with. Therefore, we at BYJU’S have channelled our efforts into explaining this topic in a manner
that is easy to understand and remember. This article also touches on certain tricks and
shortcuts that students can employ to quickly analyze their assigned salts in their chemistry
practical examinations.
Access in-depth procedures for the tests that must be performed during salt analysis by
visiting the links listed below.
● Systematic Analysis of Cations
● Systematic Analysis of Anions
In the examination, students will receive an inorganic salt whose chemical composition they
must identify. This can be done by individually identifying the cation and the anion of the salt.

Step-by-Step Process for Salt Analysis

● Step 1: Obtain the inorganic salt whose cation and anion you must identify.
● Step 2: Conduct preliminary tests for the anion group-wise until you obtain a positive
result. Anions and cations are classified into groups that share the same group reagent
and therefore, have similar preliminary tests.
● Step 3: Once you get a positive result for a preliminary test for an anion, conduct a
confirmatory test for that anion. (If you get a positive result, move on to step 4. If you
don’t, go back to conducting preliminary tests for anions.)
● Step 4: Conduct preliminary tests for cations group-wise until you obtain a positive
result.
● Step 5: Once a positive result is obtained, conduct a confirmatory test for that cation.
● Step 6: Now that the cation and the anion are identified, obtain the chemical formula of
the salt by balancing the charges of the cation and anion. For example, if your cation is
Fe3+ and your anion is Cl-, the chemical formula of the salt will be FeCl3.
Note: You can also identify the cation first and then move on to identifying the anion.

Salt Analysis Answer Format (Sample)

A sample answer format for salt analysis is provided below.
Aim: To identify the acidic radical and the basic radical of the given inorganic salt.
 Apparatus Required: Fill as per requirement.
Procedure:
(i) Preliminary Test for Anion:
Experiment Observation Inference
(ii) Confirmatory Test for Anion:
Experiment Observation Inference

(iii) Preliminary Test for Cation:

Experiment Observation Inference
(iv) Confirmatory Test for Cation:
Experiment Observation Inference
Result: The acidic radical is (anion), and the basic radical is (cation). Therefore, the given salt
is identified to be (salt).

Tricks and Shortcuts for Salt Analysis

Always check the colour of the salt first. Certain cations have coloured salts. If the salt is
coloured, you can directly conduct a preliminary test for the cation that forms salts of that colour.
The cations that form coloured salts are tabulated below:
Colour of the Inorganic Salt Cation

Blue Cu2+

Deep blue Co2+ (anhydrous salt)

Greenish-blue Cu2+ (hydrated salt)

Green Ni2+ (hydrated salt)

Light green Fe2+

Yellow, brown, or yellowish-brown Fe3+

Pale pink Mn2+

Rose-red Co2+ or mercuric iodide (HgI2)

Purple or dark green Cr3+

If the salt is colourless, perform a flame test first (since the presence of 3 different cations can
be confirmed by it). An easier way to perform the flame test is to pick up a chunk of the salt with
test tube holders, pour a few drops of concentrated HCl on it, and expose it to the flame of a
Bunsen burner.
If you do not gain any insight into the cation from the flame test (or from visual inspection),
proceed with group-wise preliminary tests for cations. Note that some cations do not form salts
with certain anions, as listed below.
● Ba2+, Sr2+, Pb2+, and Ca2+ do not form salts with the sulphate anion (SO42-).
● Only group 0, group 1, and group 2 cations form salts with the phosphate anion (PO43-).
If you identify one of these cations in the salt analysis, you need not conduct tests for the
corresponding anions.
Finally, certain salts are very common in salt analysis examinations. For example, the most
common salt containing the bromide ion (Br-) is NH4Br and the most common salt containing the
calcium cation (Ca2+) is CaCl2. Also, some salts can be identified by observing their texture and
appearance (for example, calcium carbonate has the texture of powdered chalk). Therefore,
visiting your chemistry laboratory and physically examining the salts may help you quickly
analyze the salt in the practical examination.

List of Common Cations (Basic Radicals) for Salt Analysis

*Note: Multiple Ions belonging to the same group have the same preliminary test but
different confirmatory tests.
Group Cations

Group 0 NH4+

Group 1 Pb2+

Group 2 Cu2+

Group 3 Fe3+, Fe2+, Al3+

Group 4 Co2+, Mn2+, Ni2+, Zn2+

Group 5 Ba2+, Ca2+, Sr2+

Group 6 Mg2+

List of Common Anions (Acidic Radicals) for Salt Analysis

Group Anions

Group 1 CO32-, NO2-, SO32-, S2-

Group 2 Cl-, Br-, I-, CH3COO-, NO3-, C2O42-

Group 3 PO43-, SO42-

Preliminary Test for Anions
In salt analysis, preliminary tests for anions are conducted group-wise to find the anion of the
salt. After getting a positive preliminary test for an anion, a confirmatory test must be conducted
to confirm the presence of that anion in the salt.

Preliminary Test for Group 1 Anions

Experiment: Add a few drops of dilute H2SO4 (sulfuric acid) to a small quantity of the salt in a
test tube (If nothing happens, move on to preliminary test for group 2 anions).
Anion Positive Result

Carbonate (CO32-) Colourless and odourless gas that turns

limewater milky

Sulphite (SO32-) Colourless, pungent-smelling gas

Sulphide (S2-) Colourless gas which smells like rotten eggs

Nitrite (NO2-) Light brown gas having a pungent smell

Preliminary Test for Group 2 Anions

Experiment: Take a small chunk of the salt in a test tube and add a few drops of concentrated
H2SO4 (sulfuric acid) to it (If nothing happens, move on to preliminary test for group 2 anions).
Anion Positive Result

Chloride (Cl-) White, pungent-smelling fumes that intensify

when a glass rod dipped in ammonium
hydroxide is brought to the mouth of the test
tube

Bromide (Br-) Reddish-brown fumes

Iodide (I-) Violet fumes

Acetate (CH3COO-) Pungent fumes that smell like vinegar

Nitrate (NO3-) Brown fumes with a pungent smell

Oxalate (C2O4-) Bubbly effervescence of a combination of

carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide gas

Preliminary Test for Group 3 Anions

The sulphate and phosphate ions (group 3 anions) do not have any preliminary tests. If no
positive preliminary tests are obtained for group 1 and group 2 anions, you can directly jump to
confirmatory tests for the sulphate and phosphate anions.
Confirmatory Test for Anions
*Note: Water extract of the salt can be prepared by dissolving a pinch of the inorganic salt in a
few drops of water.
Anion Confirmatory Test Positive Observation

Carbonate (CO32-) Add magnesium sulphate (MgSO4) to Formation of a white

the water extract of the salt precipitate.

Sulphite (SO32-) Add aqueous barium chloride (BaCl2) to Formation of a white

the water extract precipitate which disappears
when diluting hydrochloric
acid (HCl) is added.

Sulphide (S2-) (i) Add sodium nitroprusside to the water (i) The solution turns purple
extract or violet
(ii) Add aqueous lead acetate to the (ii) Formation of a black
water extract precipitate

Nitrite (NO2-) Boil a mixture of the water extract and The solution develops a deep
dilute H2SO4. Now add solid potassium blue colour
iodide and starch solution to it

Chloride (Cl-) Add silver nitrate (AgNO3) to the water Formation of a white
extract precipitate which is soluble in
ammonium hydroxide
(NH4OH)

Bromide (Br-) Add silver nitrate to the water extract Formation of a yellow
precipitate which is partially
soluble in ammonium
hydroxide

Iodide (I-) Add silver nitrate to the water extract Formation of a yellow
precipitate which is insoluble
in NH4OH

Nitrate (NO3-) Mix the water extract with iron (II) Formation of a brown ring at
sulphate solution (FeSO4) and add one the junction of the acid and
drop of concentrated nitric acid (HNO3) the solution.
along the side of the test tube.

Acetate (CH3COO- Add concentrated H2SO4 and some Development of a fruity smell
) ethanol to the salt. (due to the formation of an
ester)

Oxalate (C2O4-) Add acetic acid and calcium chloride to Formation of a white
the water extract and boil the solution. precipitate that dissolves
upon the addition of dilute
HNO3
 Sulphate (SO42-) Add aqueous barium chloride (BaCl2) to Formation of a white
the water extract precipitate which is insoluble
in concentrated hydrochloric
acid (HCl)

Phosphate (PO43-) Add dilute nitric acid (HNO3) and Formation of a yellow,
ammonium molybdate ((NH4)2MoO4) to crystalline precipitate
the water extract and boil the resulting
solution.
Shortcut: Ammonium bromide (NH4Br) is the most common salt containing the bromide ion in
school laboratories. If you confirm the presence of bromide ions in the salt, you can immediately
try a confirmatory test for the ammonium cation (NH4+)

Preliminary Test for Cations

In salt analysis. preliminary tests for cations must be conducted in order to check for the
presence of different cations in the inorganic salt. This is done in a manner that is similar to the
preliminary tests for anions. Note that some cation groups (such as group 0 and group 6
cations) do not have any preliminary tests. For these cations, confirmatory tests may be
conducted directly.
Note: The original solution (OS) of the salt can be prepared by mixing a small amount of the
inorganic salt with water and acid.

Preliminary Test for Group 1 Cations

Experiment: Add a few drops of dilute hydrochloric acid (HCl) to the original solution.
Cation Positive Result

Lead (Pb2+) Formation of a white precipitate

Preliminary Test for Group 2 Cations

Experiment: Add a few drops of dilute HCl and hydrogen sulphide (H2S) to the original solution.
Cation Positive Result

Copper (Cu2+) A black precipitate is formed

Preliminary Test for Group 3 Cations

● Ferrous salts (featuring Fe2+ ions) are green in colour and ferric salts (featuring Fe3+
ions) are brown in colour.
● For aluminium (Al3+ ion), a gelatinous white precipitate is obtained when the solid
ammonium chloride (NH4Cl) and excess ammonium hydroxide are added to the original
solution.
Preliminary Test for Group 4 Cations
Experiment: Add solid NH4Cl and excess NH4OH to the original solution. Now pass H2S gas
through it.
Cation Positive Result

Cobalt (Co2+) and Nickel (Ni2+), conduct both Formation of a black precipitate
confirmatory tests

Manganese (Mn2+) A skin-coloured precipitate is formed

Zinc (Zn2+) A greyish-white precipitate is formed

Preliminary Test for Group 5 Cations

Experiment: Add ammonium carbonate ((NH4)2CO3), ammonium chloride (NH4Cl), and
ammonium hydroxide to the original solution. If you obtain a white precipitate, the cation might
be a group 5 cation. Add dilute acetic acid (CH3COOH) to dissolve the white precipitate. Now do
the following tests in the same order followed in the tabular column provided below.
Cation Positive Result

Barium (Ba2+) A yellow precipitate is formed when K2CrO4 is

added to the solution.

Strontium (Sr2+) A white precipitate is formed when aqueous

(NH4)2SO4 is added to the solution.

Calcium (Ca2+) A white precipitate is formed when aqueous

(NH4)2C2O4 (ammonium oxalate) and NH4OH
are added to the solution.

Confirmatory Tests for Cations

Cation Confirmatory Test Positive Observation

Ammonium (NH4+) Add sodium hydroxide to the original Formation of a yellow or

solution and treat it with Nessler’s brown precipitate
reagent (K2HgI4)

Lead (Pb2+) (i) Add potassium iodide (KI) to the Formation of a yellow
original solution precipitate (for both the tests)
(ii) Add potassium chromate (K2CrO4)
to the original solution

Copper (Cu2+) In the preliminary test, a black A blue coloured solution is

precipitate is obtained from the addition formed
of dilute HCl and H2S to the original
solution. Isolate the black precipitate
 and add excess ammonium hydroxide
to it

Iron (Fe3+) Add concentrated nitric acid to the A blue precipitate is formed
original solution and heat it. A brown
precipitate will form. Add HCl and
potassium ferrocyanide (K4[Fe(CN)6])
to it

Aluminium (Al3+) A gelatinous white precipitate is A floating, blue layer is

obtained when NH4Cl and excess formed on the surface of the
NH4OH are added to the original clear solution
solution. Isolate the precipitate and
dissolve it in HCl. now add blue litmus
and NH4OH to it drop-by-drop

Cobalt (Co2+) Add solid NH4Cl and excess NH4OH to A yellow precipitate is
the original solution and pass H2S gas obtained.
through it. Dissolve the resulting blue
residue in water and add dilute
CH3COOH and KNO2 to it. Now warm
the mixture.

Nickel (Ni2+) Add solid NH4Cl and excess NH4OH to A black precipitate is formed
the original solution and pass H2S gas
through it. Dissolve the resulting yellow
residue in water (you will now obtain a
green-coloured solution). Add NaOH
and bromine water to this mixture and
boil it.

Manganese (Mn2+) To the skin-coloured precipitate Formation of a white

obtained in the preliminary test, add precipitate that turns brown or
dilute HCl and boil off the H2S. Now black when bromine water is
add NaOH. added

Zinc (Zn2+) Add NaOH (in excess) to the greyish- The white precipitate is
white precipitate obtained in the dissolved
preliminary test.

Barium (Ba2+), Flame test: Make a paste of the salt Ba2+: Green-coloured flame
Strontium (Sr2+), by mixing it with a few drops of Sr2+: Crimson red flame
and Calcium (Ca2+) concentrated hydrochloric acid. Now Ca2+: Brick red flame
skim off some of the paste with a glass
rod and expose it to a Bunsen Burner’s
flame.

Magnesium (Mg2+) Add NH4Cl, (NH4)3PO4 (ammonium A white precipitate is

phosphate) and excess NH4OH to the obtained.
original solution.
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