Qualitative analysis
How to do salt analysis · Viva · Quiz
To analyse the given inorganic salt for one acidic and one basic radical.
| Experiment | Observation | Inference |
|---|---|---|
| Take 0.1 g salt + dilute H₂SO₄ | Colourless vapours with vinegar-like smell evolve | CH₃COO⁻ may be present |
| Confirmatory Tests | ||
| Ester Test Take 0.1 g salt in a test tube with ethanol and a little conc. H₂SO₄, then heat | Fruity odour of ethyl acetate is developed | CH₃COO⁻ is confirmed |
| Ferric Chloride Test Add neutral ferric chloride solution to the salt solution | Deep red colour appears; on heating it disappears and a brown-red precipitate forms | CH₃COO⁻ is confirmed |
| Experiment | Observation | Inference |
|---|---|---|
| Confirmatory Tests | ||
| If Group V is absent, add disodium hydrogen phosphate solution and scratch the inner walls with a glass rod | A white crystalline precipitate of magnesium ammonium phosphate is formed | Mg²⁺ may be present |
| Magneson Test To the alkaline solution add a drop of Magneson I reagent (p-nitrobenzeneazoresorcinol) | A blue precipitate / blue lake is formed | Mg²⁺ is confirmed |
The given salt contains Mg²⁺ as the cation (basic radical) and CH₃COO⁻ as the anion (acidic radical). The salt is Magnesium Acetate (Mg(CH₃COO)₂).