Question

Identify the precipitate formed and its colour when
i. Lead acetate reacts with Potassium iodide;

ii. Ferrous sulphate reacts Sodium hydroxide.​

Answer 1

A

NALYSIS always does not mean breaking of substance into its ultimate

constituents. Finding out the nature of substance and identity of

its constituents is also analysis and is known as qualitative analysis.

Qualitative analysis of inorganic salts means the identification of cations and

anions present in the salt or a mixture of salts. Inorganic salts may be obtained

by complete or partial neutralisation of acid with base or vice-versa. In the

formation of a salt, the part contributed by the acid is called anion and the part

contributed by the base is called cation. For example, in the salts CuSO4 and

NaCl, Cu2+ and Na+

ions are cations and SO4

2– and Cl–

ions are anions. Qualitative

analysis is carried out on various scales. Amount of substance employed in

these is different. In macro analysis, 0.1 to 0.5 g of substance and about 20 mL

of solution is used. For semimicro analysis, 0.05 g substance and 1 mL solution

is needed while for micro analysis amount required is very small. Qualitative

analysis is carried out through the reactions which are easily perceptible to our

senses such as sight and smell. Such reactions involve:

(a) Formation of a precipitate

(b) Change in colour

(c) Evolution of gas etc.

Systematic analysis of an inorganic salt involves the following steps:

(i) Preliminary examination of solid salt and its solution.

(ii) Determination of anions by reactions carried out in solution (wet tests)

and confirmatory tests.

(iii) Determination of cations by reactions carried out in solution (wet tests)

and confirmatory tests.

Preliminary examination of a salt often furnishes important information, which

simplifies further course of analysis. Although these tests are not conclusive but

sometimes they give quite important clues for the presence of certain anions or

cations. These tests can be performed within 10–15 minutes. These involve noting

the general appearance and physical properties, such as colour, smell, solubility

etc. of the salt. These are named as dry tests.

Heating of dry salt, blow pipe test, flame tests, borax bead test, sodium

carbonate bead test, charcoal cavity test etc. come under dry tests. Some of these

tests are given later in this unit.