Practical Exams and Qualitative Analysis Brief

Notes and Tips

Generally, the experiment can be categorized into the following:

1. Flame test
2. Heating of solid
3. Test for gas
4. Test for cation
5. Test for anion
6. Test for oxidizing agent.
7. Test for reducing agent.

1. Flame test
Students will be asked to heat the solid directly with a non-luminous flame.
Students must make the following observation:

THE COLOUR OF THE FLAME.

Conclusions
Orange flame Sodium ions are present.
Purple flame Potassium ions are present.
Green flame Copper (II) ions are present.
Good example of writing an observation
Orange flame is observed.______________________________________________________

2. Heating of solid

Students will be asked to heat the solid in a test tube.

Students must make the following these observations:

THE COLOUR OF THE RESIDUE WHEN (i) HOT, (ii) COOL

THE COLOUR OF THE GAS EVOLVED

THE OBSERVATION AND IDENTITY OF GAS

THE CHANGE OF STATE OF SOLID (MELTING / SUBLIME)

ANY CONDENSATION (be it liquid or solid) ON THE TEST TUBE WALLS

DUE TO REACTION.

Good example of writing an observation

The colour of the residue is white when hot. The colour of the residue remains white when
cooled._____________________________________________________________________
Effervescence is observed. The gas is colourless. The gas forms white ppt in limewater._____
Conclusion: Therefore, the gas evolved is carbon dioxide____________________________
Things to note
If the question does not indicate the type of gas test, please conduct the test in the following
manner.
First

Carbon dioxide
Oxygen
Ammonia

Litmus paper

Chlorine
Students need not test for presence of water vapour. Water vapour is present when there is
condensation in the test tube.

3. Test for gas

Students will be asked to test for gas evolved.

Students must make the following observation:

EFFERVESCENCE

THE DESCRIPTION OF THE TEST AND ITS RESULT

IDENTITY OF GAS

Good example of writing an observation

Effervescence is observed._____________________________________________________
For carbon dioxide:
The gas is bubbled through limewater. Gas forms white ppt in limewater.________________
Conclusion: Gas evolved is carbon dioxide.________________________________________
For hydrogen:
Gas extinguished with a pop sound.______________________________________________
Conclusion: Gas evolved is hydrogen._________ ___________________________________
For oxygen:
Glowing splint rekindles.______________________________________________________
Conclusion: Gas evolved is oxygen.______________________________________________
For ammonia:
Moist red litmus paper turns blue.________________________________________________
Conclusion: Gas evolved is ammonia gas._________________________________________
For chlorine:
Moist blue litmus paper turns red and then bleached._________________________________
Conclusion: Gas evolved is chlorine gas.__________________________________________
Things to note:

Hydrogen gas is only formed when metal reacts with acid.

If acid is added to an unknown, the gas produced can be either carbon dioxide or
hydrogen.

4. Test for cation

Students will be instructed to add sodium hydroxide solution and/or aqueous ammonia to a
solution of the sample.
Students must make the following observation:

PRESENCE OF PPT AND ITS COLOUR

SOLUBILITY OF PPT WHEN ADDED IN EXCESS AND COLOUR OF ITS

SOLUTION

Good example of writing an observation

White ppt is formed. White ppt dissolved in excess sodium hydroxide, forming colourless
solution._________________________________________________________________
Blue ppt is formed. Blue ppt dissolved in excess aqueous ammonia, forming blue solution.__
White ppt is formed. White ppt is insoluble in excess sodium hydroxide._________________

5. Test for anion

Nitrate
Students will be asked to add sodium hydroxide solution, followed by aluminium.
Carbonate
Students will be asked to add acid. Carbon dioxide will be formed if carbonate ion is present.
Chloride, Iodide, Sulfate
Students will be instructed to add dilute nitric acid, followed by reagents such as silver nitrate
solution, lead (II) nitrate solution, barium nitrate solution.
Good example of writing an observation
White ppt is formed.__________________________________________________________
Yellow ppt is formed._________________________________________________________
No visible reaction.___________________________________________________________
Things to note:
Do NOT write white solution when u observe precipitates being formed.

6. Test for oxidizing agent

The test
Students will be instructed to add potassium iodide (KI) which is colourless to an unknown
sample solution.

The observation
Students will observe that the solution will change colour from
colourless to brown or reddish brown
due to the oxidation of iodide ions in KI to iodine (I2)
Extra experiment
Sometimes students are instructed to add starch to confirm the formation of iodine which was
formed due to the oxidation of KI to I2.
Students should either observe a dark purple solution formed or a black ppt is formed.

7. Test for reducing agent

The test
Students will be instructed to add potassium manganate (VI) (KMnO4), which is purple in
colour, to an unknown sample solution.

The observation
Students will observe that the solution will change colour from
Purple (due to the Mn7+ ions) to Colourless (due to Mn2+ ions)P
due to the reduction process.