CHEMICAL ANALYSIS

TESTS FOR SUBSTANCES

substance test result notes

oxygen Place a glowing splint Splint reignites into flame
nearby
hydrogen Place a naked flame Gas ignites with a squeaky pop
nearby
carbon dioxide Bubble through limewater Limewater turns cloudy Excessive CO2 causes ppt to dissolve
chlorine Place near damp litmus Litmus paper is bleached white
paper
ammonia Place a glass rod nearby A white smoke of ammonium
that has been dipped in chloride is observed
concentrated HCl

The litmus paper changes

Place damp red litmus colour from red to blue
paper nearby
alkenes Shake with orange The bromine water Aldehydes can also decolourise
bromine water decolourises bromine water ( enol tautomer has
C=C )
water Place near cobalt chloride Pink paper becomes blue
paper

TESTS FOR IONS IN IONIC COMPOUNDS

TESTS ON SOLID
ion test result notes
carbonate CO 3
2 add some acid Effervescence Bubble through limewater to confirm
gas is CO2 and not Hydrogen
lithium Li+ dip wire loop into conc. Red flame
hydrochloric acid and
sodium Na +
then into solid Yellow flame
potassium K + compound and then Lilac flame
place in Bunsen flame
calcium Ca 2+ Red-yellow flame
barium Ba 2+ Green flame
ammonium NH4 + add sodium hydroxide Turns damp red litmus blue
(aq) and warm
(forms ammonia gas) Glass rod dipped in
concentrated HCl gives off white
smoke
nitrate NO3 add sodium hydroxide As above ( test for ammonia)
(aq) then warm & add
aluminium powder
(forms ammonia gas)

TESTS ON SOLUTION
ion test result notes
aluminium Al3+ add sodium hydroxide White precipitate Precipitate dissolves in excess
(aq) hydroxide
calcium Ca2+ White precipitate Needs to be confirmed using a flame
test
magnesium White precipitate Needs to be confirmed using a flame
test
copper Cu 2+ Blue precipitate
iron (II) Fe 2+ Dark green precipitate Turns brown on standing ( 2+ ion
oxidises into 3+ ion)
iron (III) Fe3+ Brown precipitate
chloride Cl add dilute nitric acid White precipitate Silver chloride ppt dissolves in dilute
(aq) then silver nitrate or concentrated ammonia solution
(aq)
bromide Br Cream precipitate Silver bromide ppt dissolves only in
concentrated ammonia solution

iodide I Yellow precipitate Silver iodide ppt does not dissolve in

ammonia solution
 TESTS ON SOLUTION

sulphate SO 4
2 add dilute hydrochloric White precipitate Sulphate (VI) ions are insoluble but
acid (aq) and then Sulphate (IV) ions are soluble in
barium chloride (aq) presence of HCl