JEE Advanced Revision Notes

Chemistry
Principles of Qualitative Analysis

Introduction
Qualitative Inorganic analysis deals with the identification of radicals present in
salt.
● Cation derived from the base is termed as basic radical.
● Anion derived from acid is termed an acidic radical.
Example: NaOH  HCl  NaCl  H 2O

Physical properties of salts:

Observation Inference
The substance is coloured
Light pink Hydrated salt of Mn
Reddish pink Hydrated salt of Co(II)
Red HgO, Hgl, Pb3O4
Sb2 S3 , some dichromats and
Orange-red
ferricyanides

Redish brown Ferric chloride, Fe2O3

As2 S,AsS2 ,AgBr,AgI,PbI2 ,CdS,SnS2 , a few

Light yellow or brown
iodides and ferrocyanides.
K 2MnO4 , Ni salts, hydrated ferrous salts, some
Green
Cu(II) compounds

Dark green Salt of Cr(III)

Blue Hydrated CuSO4

Sulphide of Cu(II) and Fe(II),

Black
MnO2 ,Fe3O4 ,FeO,CuO, Ni 2O3

Light yellow or brown Ferric salts

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 Substance smells
Ammonium carbonates and other Ammonium
Ammoniacal smell
salts.
Bitter almond type Cyanides

Vinegar or acetic acid type Acetates

Chlorine gas smell Hypochlorites.

Solution is colored
4
Green or blue Ni 2  Fe2 ,  Fe(CN )6 

Pink Mn2+ and Co2+

Yellow CrO42-, Fe3+,

Orange or purple Dichromate (orange), Permanganates (Purples).

Substance is heavy Salt of Pb and Hg

The substance is light Carbonates of Mg, Al, Zn, Ca, Sr, Bi

Heating Effects on various salts

S.No Observation Inference
Substance decrepitates (Cracking
1 NaCl , KI , Pb( NO3 )2 , Ba( NO3 )2
noise)
Salts of alkali metals and salts
2 Substance melts
having water of crystallization.
Substance swells
3 (due to loss of water of Alums, borates and Phosphates.
crystallization)

4 The substance sublimes and the color of sublimate is:

White HgCl2 , NH 4 X , AlCl3 , HgCl2 , As2O3 , Sb2O3

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 As2 S3 and HgI 2 (turns red when
Yellow rubbed with a glass rod)
Iodides

Blue-black and violet vapor

5 A residue (general oxides) is left and its color is

Yellow (hot) and White (cold) ZnO

Reddish-brown (hot), Yellow PbO

Black (hot); Red (cold) HgO, Pb3O4

Black (hot); Red-brown (cold) Fe2O3

6 Gas is evolved

Colorless and odorless.

CO2 -turns lime water milky  CaCO3  CaO  CO2 

Alkali Nitrates
O2 -rekindle a glowing splinter
 2KNO3  2KNO2  O2 
Ammonium nitrite
N2
 NH 4 NO2  N 2  2H 2O 
Colorless gas with odor:

NH 3 turns red litmus blue and Ammonium salts

mercurous nitrate paper black  NH 4 2 SO4  NH 4 HSO4  NH 3
SO2 - Smell of burning sulfur, turns Sulphites and thiosulphates CaSO3
acidified K2Cr2O7 paper green CaSO3  CaO  SO2
HCl- Pungent smell, white fumes with Hydrated chlorides
ammonia MgCl2 .6H 2O  MgO  5H 2O  2HCl

Coloured gas:

Nitrites and nitrates of heavy metals

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NO2 - Brown turns starch iodide paper 2Cu  NO3 2  2CuO  4 NO2  O2
blue.

Dry Tests:
These texts give a clear indication of the presence of certain radicals.
Flame test:
The flame test should not be performed in the presence of As, Sb, Bi, Sn and Pb
as these radical form alloy with Pt, and wire may be spoiled.
Colour of Flame Inference
Pale greenish Pb
Green with a blue center Cu
Apple green Ba
Crimson red Sr, Li
Brick red Ca
Pink violet (Lilac) K
Golden yellow Na
Violet Rb, Cs
Livid blue As, Bi

Borax Bead Test:

● On heating Borax, the colorless glassy bead formed, which consists of
sodium metaborate and boric anhydride.
 
Na2 B4O7 .10 H 2O   Na2 B4O7   2 NaBO2  B2O3
● Oxidising flame: On heating with a colored salt, the glassy bead forms a
colored metaborate.

CuSO4   CuO  SO3

CuO  B2O3   Cu  BO2 2 , copper (II) metaborate, blue

Fe2O3  3 B2O3   2Fe  BO2 3 , iron (III) metaborate, yellow

Cr2O3  3 B2O3   2Cr  BO2 3 , chromium ( III ) metaborate, green

CoO  B2O3   Co  BO2 2 , cobalt (II) metaborate, blue

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 ● Reducing atmosphere: Borax bead test can be carried out in the reducing
atmosphere by using a charcoal cavity. The carbon background will act as
reducing the atmosphere.
CuO  B2O3  Cu  BO 2 2 , blue
2Cu  BO2 2  C  2CuBO2 ( white )  CO  B2O3
2CuBO2  C  2Cu(red)  B2O3  CO
FeO  B2O3  Fe  BO2 2 , green

Oxidizing Flame Reducing Flame Metal

Blue Red Copper
Yellow Green Iron
Green Green Chromium
Violet Colourless Manganese
Blue Blue Cobalt
Red-brown Grey Nickel

Identification of Acidic radicals (or) Anions

● Most of the salts are reacted with dil.H 2 SO4 (or) dil HCl and Conc.H 2SO4
are release characteristic gas with acidic radicals.
● But some anions are not decomposed either by dil.H 2 SO4 or Conc.H 2SO4
● Hence acidic radicals have been classified into three groups, depending
upon salt response to a reagent.
Group-I: Contains the radicals which are detected by dil.H 2 SO4 (or) dil HCl.
They are

a) Carbonates CO32 
 
b) Sulphite SO32

c) Sulphide  S  2

d) Nitrite  NO 
1
2

e) Acetate  CH COO 
3
1

Group-II: Contains the radicals which are detected by Conc.H 2SO4

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  
a) Chloride Cl 

b) Bromide  Br  

c) Iodide  I 


d) Nitrate  NO  
3

e) Oxalate  C O 2
2 4

Group-III: Contains the radicals which don’t give any characteristic gas with
dilute and Conc.H 2SO4 .
They are:

a) Sulphate SO42 

b) Phosphate PO43 

1. Reaction of CO -2
3 
ions:
i) With dilute HCl: gives effervescence, due to the evolution of carbon dioxide.
The gas carbon dioxide turns lime water milky white ppt
CO32   2 H   CO2  H 2O
The gas gives turbidity with lime water and baryta water.
CO2  Ca 2   2OH   CaCO3  H 2O
CO2  Ba 2   2OH   BaCO3  H 2O
On prolonged passage of carbon dioxide in lime water, the turbidity sluggishly
disappears due to the conformation of answerable hydrogen carbonate.
CaCO3  CO2  H 2O  Ca( HCO3 )2
ii) Barium chloride or Calcium chloride solution:
White ppt of barium or calcium carbonate is obtained, which is soluble in mineral
acid.
CO32   Ba 2   BaCO3 
CO32   Ca 2   CaCO3 
The ppt is soluble in mineral acids and carbonic acid (soda water).
BaCO3  2 H   Ba 2   CO2   H 2O
BaCO3  CO2  H 2O  Ba 2   2 HCO3
iii) Silver nitrate solution:

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White ppt of silver carbonate is obtained.
CO32   2 Ag   Ag 2CO3
The ppt so attained is soluble in nitric acid and in ammonia.
The ppt becomes brown on addition of excess reagent and the same may also be
if the blend is boiled, due to the conformation of tableware oxide
Ag2CO3  AgO  CO2


2. Sulphites SO -2
3 
i) Dilute HCl or Dilute H 2 SO4
decomposes with the evolution of sulfur dioxide
SO32   2 H   SO2  H 2O
The gas has a suffocating odor of burning sulfur.
ii) Acidified potassium dichromate solution:
Turns sludge paper moistened with acidified potassium dichromate result, green
due to the conformation of Cr 3 ions.
iii) Lime water: On passing the gas through lime water, a milky ppt is formed.
The precipitate dissolves on prolonged passage of the gas, due to the
conformation of hydrogen sulfite ions.
iv) Barium chloride or Strontium chloride solution: Gives white ppt. of barium or
strontium sulfite.
 
3. Sulphide S -2
i) Dil. HCl or Dil. H 2 SO4 :
A colorless gas smelling of rotten eggs  H 2 S  is evolved.
S 2  2H   H 2S
ii) The gas turns lead acetate paper black
iii) Silver nitrate solution: Black ppt. of silver sulfide insoluble in cold but soluble
in hot dil nitric acid.
iv) Sodium nitroprusside solution: Turns sodium nitroprusside solution purple
Na2 S  Na2[ Fe  CN 5 NO]  Na4[ Fe  CN 5 NOS ]
4. Nitrites (NO -2 )
i) Dil HCl and Dil. H 2 SO4 : Adding to solid nitrite in cold yields pale blue liquid
(due to the presence of free nitrous acid HNO2 or its anhydride N2O3 & the
evolution of brown fumes of nitrogen dioxide, the latter being largely produced
by a combination of nitric oxide with the oxygen of the air

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ii) Silver nitrate solution: White crystalline ppt. is obtained
iii) Turns acidified KI - starch paper blue
2KI + 2NO2 → 2KNO2 + I2
Starch + I2 → Blue colour
5. Acetate (CH 3COO  )
i) Dilute Sulphuric Acid: A smell of vinegar is observed.
CH 3COO   H   CH 3COOH
The following test is performed with the aqueous salt solution.
ii) Iron (III) Chloride Solution: Gives deep - red coloration
3 CH3COONa  FeCl3  (CH3COO)3 Fe  3NaCl
Brown color ppt forms
6. Thiosulphates
i) Dil Hydrochloric acid: Gives sulphur & sulphur dioxide
ii) Silver nitrate solution: Gives white ppt. of silver thiosulphate.
The ppt. is unstable, turning dark on standing when silver sulphide is formed.
iii) Lead acetate or Lead nitrate solution: Gives white ppt.
On boiling, it turns black due to the formation of PbS.
 
7. Chloride Cl -
Conc. H 2 SO4 : decomposes with the evolution of HCl.
Cl   H 2 SO4  HCl  HSO4 -
Gas so produced
(1) Turns blue litmus paper red
(2) Gives white fumes of NH4Cl when a glass rod moistened with ammonia
solution is brought near the mouth of the test tube.
Silver nitrate solution: White, curdy ppt. of AgCl insoluble in water & in dil .nitric
acid, but soluble in dilute ammonia solution.

v) Chromyl chloride test: When a salt containing chloride ion is heated with
K2Cr2O7 and conc. H 2 SO4 orange-red fumes of chromyl chloride (CrO2Cl2 )
are formed.
K2Cr2O7  4 NaCl  6H 2SO4  2KHSO4  4 NaHSO4  2CrO2Cl2  3H 2O
A sample of chlorine-containing salt is heated with conc H2SO4 in presence of
K 2Cr2O7 , deep red vapours of chromyl chloride are evolved.
NaCl  H2SO4  NaHSO4  HCl

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K 2Cr2O7  2H2SO4  2KHSO4  2CrO3  H2O
CrO3  2HCl  CrO2Cl2  H2O
Chromyl chloride
(deep red vapour)
When these vapours are passed through a NaOH solution, the solution becomes
yellow due to the formation of sodium chromate.
CrO2Cl2  4NaOH  Na 2CrO4  2NaCl  2H2O
The yellow solution is neutralized with acetic acid and on the addition of lead
acetate gives a yellow precipitate of lead chromate.
Na 2CrO4  Pb  CH3COO 2  PbCrO 4  2CH3COONa
8. Bromide (Br  )
● Conc. H 2 SO4 : Gives reddish-brown vapors of bromine accompanying
the hydrogen bromide.
● Manganese dioxide and conc. sulphuric acid: When a mix of solid bromide,
MnO2 , and conc. H 2 SO4 is heated reddish-brown vapors of bromine are
evolved.
The following tests are performed with the aqueous salt solution.
● Silver nitrate solution: Pale yellow ppt. of silver bromide is obtained. This
ppt. is sparingly soluble in dil but readily soluble in conc. ammonia
solution and insoluble in dil. HNO3
● Lead acetate solution: White crystalline ppt. of lead bromide which is
soluble in boiling water.
 
9. Iodide I -
● Conc. H 2 SO4 : Gives violet vapors of iodine
● Silver nitrate solution: Yellow ppt. of silver iodide AgI, very slightly
soluble in conc. ammonia solution and insoluble in dil nitric acid.

10. Nitrate NO -3 
● Conc H 2 SO4 : Gives reddish-brown vapors of nitrogen dioxide
● Brown ring test: When freshly saturated solution of iron (II) sulfate is
added to nitrate solution and conc. H2SO4 is poured slowly down the side
of the test - tube, a brown ring is obtained.
On shaking and warming the mix, the brown color disappears, nitric oxide is
evolved and a yellow solution of Iron(III) ions remains.
11. Test for Oxalate ion [C2O24 – ]

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CaCl2 + Na2C2O4 → CaC2O4 (White precipitate) + 2NaCl
12. Sulfate (SO4 2  )
i) Barium chloride solution: White ppt. of barium sulfate BaSO4 insoluble in
warm dil. hydrochloric acid and in dilute nitric acid but moderately soluble in
boiling, conc. hydrochloric acid.
ii) Lead acetate solution: Gives white ppt forms
Na2SO4 + (CH3COO)2Pb → PbSO4(white ppt) + 2CH3COONa
13. Test for Phosphate ion [PO3 4 –]
Na2HPO4 + 12 (NH4)2 MoO4 + 23 HNO3 → (NH4 )3 [P (Mo3O10) 4 ] (Canary
yellow precipitate) + 2NaNO3 + 21NH4NO3 + 12H2O

Test for Cations:

Group I (Pb 2  , Ag  , Hg  )
● PbCl2 gives a yellow ppt. with K2CrO4 . The ppt. is insoluble in acetic
acid but soluble in NaOH
PbCl2  2KI  PbI 2  2KCl
PbCl2  2 KI  excess   K 2[ PbI 4 ]
● AgCl is soluble in NH4OH forming a complex while Hg 2Cl2 forms a black
ppt. with NH 4OH .

2. Group II A
● Cu 2 ions in solution give deep blue color with an excess of NH 4OH
Cu 2  4 NH 4OH  [Cu ( NH 3 ) 4 ]2  4 H 2O
Cu 2 ions give a chocolate precipitate with K 4 Fe  CN 6 .
2Cu 2  K 4 Fe  CN 6  Cu2[ Fe  CN 6 ]  4K 
● For Pb2+
3PbS + 8HNO3 → 3Pb (NO3)2 + 2NO + 4H2O + 3S
Pb(NO3 )2 + H2SO4 → PbSO4 + 2HNO3
White precipitate of lead sulphate appears in the above reaction. For further
confirmation.
PbSO4 + 4CH3COONH4 → (NH4)2 [Pb (CH3COO)4 ] + (NH4)2SO4
(NH4)2 [Pb(CH3COO)4 ] + K2CrO4 → PbCrO4 + 2CH3COOK + 2(NH4)2SO4
The Colour of PbCrO4 is yellow which confirms the presence of Pb2+.

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3. Group II B
● As 3 ions in solution give a yellow precipitate with ammonium molybdate
and HNO3 on heating.
H3 AsO4  12( NH 4 )2 MoO4  21HNO3  ( NH 4 )3 AsMo12O40  21NH 4 NO3  12H 2O

4. Group III A
● White precipitate of Al  OH 3 is soluble in NaOH
● Al  OH 3  NaOH  NaAlO2  2 H 2O
● Fe  OH 3 is insoluble in NaOH
● Brown precipitate of Fe  OH 3 is dissolved in HCl and addition of KCNS
to this solution gives blood red color.
● Also on the addition of K4Fe (CN)6 to this solution, a Prussian blue color
is obtained.
FeCl3  3K 4 Fe  CN 6  Fe4[ Fe  CN 6 ]3  12 KCl

5. Group IV (Ni 2  , Co 2  , Mn 2  , Zn 2 )
● Ni 2 after conversion into NiCl2 forms a red ppt with dimethyl glyoxime.
● Co2+ ion forms a yellow ppt in the following reaction.
CoCl2 + 7KNO2 + 2CH3COOH → K3 [Co(NO2) 6] +2KCl +2CH3COOK+
NO + H2O
● Zn2 ions in solution give a white precipitate with NaOH, which dissolves
in excess of NaOH.
● Mn2+ ions in solution give a pink precipitate with NaOH turning black or
brown on heating.
6. Group V (Ba2  , Sr 2  , Ca2  )
● Ba 2 ions in solution give yellow precipitate with K2CrO4
Ba 2  K 2CrO4  BaCrO4  2 K 
● Sr 2 ions give a white precipitate with ( NH 4 )2 SO4 .
● Ca 2 ions give a white precipitate with ( NH 4 )2 C2O4 only.

7. Group VI
For Mg2+, white ppt of Magnesium ammonium phosphate forms as shown in
below reaction.

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Mg2+ + Na2HPO4 → Mg (NH4) PO4 + NH4OH + 2Na+ + H2O

8. Group 0
NH4+ ion can be formed by the following reaction sequence.
(NH4)2SO4 + 2NaOH → Na2 SO4 + 2NH3 + 2H2O
NH3 + HCl → NH4Cl (white)
2K2HgI4 + NH3 + 3KOH → HgO.Hg (NH2)I (Brown precipitate) + 7KI + 2H2O

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