Systematic Analysis of Cations -CoolGyan

Aim Theory Materials Required Procedure Observation and Inference Results Precautions Frequently Asked Questions on Systematic Analysis of Cations

Analysis of metallic elements in compounds or samples is an integral part of chemical research. The purpose of this experiment is to learn the techniques to separate and identify some common cations and to understand the principles for the equilibria of precipitation and complex formation. The systematic analysis of cations is an integral part of the salt analysis (or systematic qualitative analysis).

Aim

To identify the cationic radicals present in an inorganic mixture of salts by performing various tests.

Theory

Qualitative analysis is the systematic approach that involves precipitation reaction to remove cations sequentially from a mixture. The behavior of the cations toward a set of common test reagents differs from one cation to another and furnishes the basis for their separation.

The qualitative analysis of an inorganic mixture is started by first carrying out some preliminary tests. The Preliminary test for cations are

Physical examination
Charcoal cavity test
Boraxbead test
Flame test

These tests do not give conclusive evidence yet they provide some information about the ions present in the mixture.

Qualitative analysis of cations usually consists of three stages.

First based on different solubility properties the cations are separated into 5 groups through the successive addition of selective precipitating reagents.
Second, within each group precipitated cations are separated through selective dissolution processes.
Third, the presence of each cation is verified through different identification tests.

The cations are classified into the following 5 groups.

1. Group I Cations (Ag⁺, Hg₂²⁺ and Pb²⁺ – insoluble chlorides):

Among the common metallic cations only three cations form insoluble chlorides with hydrochloric acid. When 6M of HCl is added to the solution, white precipitates of AgCl, Hg₂Cl₂ and PbCl₂ are formed. Other metallic cations remain in solution.

2. Group II Cations (Hg²⁺, Pb²⁺, Cu²⁺, Bi³⁺, Cd²⁺, As³⁺, Sb³⁺ and Sn⁴⁺ – insoluble sulphides in acidic medium):

After the insoluble chlorides are isolated, the pH of the solution is adjusted to 0.5 and then H₂S is added. Since the concentration of sulfide ion (s^2-) is very low at low pH, only those metallic sulfided having very low Ksp values will precipitate. Cations with larger Ksp values for their sulfides remain in solution.

3. Group III Cations (Al³⁺. Fe³⁺, Co²⁺, Ni²⁺, Cr³⁺, Zn²⁺ and Mn²⁺ – insoluble sulfides or hydroxides in alkaline medium):

After isolating the insoluble sulfides in acidic medium, the solution is made basic and the metallic sulfides having larger Ksp values such as ZnS, NiS, CoS and MnS precipitate. Moreover, since the solution is basic Al³⁺, Fe³⁺ and Cr³⁺ form insoluble hydroxides and are also separated from the solution.

4. Group IV Cations (Ca²⁺, Sr²⁺ and Ba²⁺ – carbonate precipitates):

These three metallic cations all belong to Group IIA in the periodic table of elements and therefore their chemical properties are very similar. They form soluble chlorides and sulfides and hence are separable from group 1, 2 and 3 cations. However, their carbonates precipitate in a mixture of ammonium carbonate, ammonium chloride or ammonia solution.

5. Group V Cations (Mg²⁺, Na⁺, K⁺ and NH₄⁺):

None of the cations in this group form precipitates in the separation processes of group 1-4 cations and thus remain in the final solution.

The flowchart of separating the five groups of cations is given below.

Charcoal Cavity Test

Procedure for Charcoal Cavity Test

Make a small cavity in charcoal block with the help of a borer. Mix the given mixture with sodium carbonate or fusion mixture, moisten it with a drop of water, heat it in the charcoal cavity in the reducing flame with the help of a mouth blowpipe and observe the colour of the residue left.

(iii) Borax Bead Test

This test is used for the detection of cations in coloured mixtures which may contain copper, nickel, iron or manganese. The borax bead reacts with these metal oxides to form metavorates which have characteristic colour. Some metaborates when heated in reducing flame form lower metaborates or even metals thus causing a change in the colour of bead.

Na₂B₄O₇.10H₂O → Na₂B₄O₇(White porous mass) → NaBO₂ + B₂O₃

B₂O₃ + CuSO₄ → Cu(BO₂)₂(blue green cupric metaborate) + SO₃↑

2Cu(BO₂)₂ + C → 2CuBO₂(colourless coprous metaborate) + B₂O₃ + CO↑

2CuBO₂ + C → 2Cu (red) + B₂O₃ + CO↑

Borax Bead Test

Procedure for Borax Bead Test

Make a small loop at the end of the platinum wire.
Heat the loop in a Bunsen flame until it is red hot.
Dip it into powdered borax placed on a watch glass and heat again. The borax will first swell up and will then fuse giving a colourless, transparent glass like bead.
Touch the hot bead with conc.HCl and touch it with the given mixture or salt. Heat it in an oxidising (non-luminous) and reducing (luminous) flame. Observe the colour of the bead and draw inferences.

(iv) Flame Test

Certain cations like fifth group radicals Ba²⁺, Sr²⁺ and Ca²⁺ in the form of their chlorides impart characteristic colours to the non-luminous flame. The chlorides of these cations are thermally ionised. The ions so formed absorb heat energy and get excited. The extra energy is released in the form of light of the characteristic colour in the visible part of spectrum. Since different metal ions emit light energy of different wavelength, the colour imparted by the different cations to the flame are also different.

Flame Test

Procedure for Flame Test

Take a platinum wire and dip it in con.HCl taken on a watch glass and heat it strongly in the flame. Repeat this process until the wire does not impart any colour to the flame.
Dip platinum wire in con.HCl and then touch it with a given salt and heat it in the flame of the Bunsen burner. Observe the colour of the flame and draw inferences.

Observation and Inference

(i) Charcoal Cavity Test

S.No	Observation	Inference
1	Shining metallic bead with yellow incrustation soft and mark paper.	Pb²⁺(Lead)
2	Shining metallic bead does not mark paper.	Ag⁺(Silver)
3	Brittle bead with yellow or brown incrustation.	Bi³⁺(Bismuth)
4	White incrustation with white fumes having garlic odour.	As³⁺(Arsenic)
5	Brown residue and brown incrustation.	Cd²⁺(Cadmium)
6	Red residue without incrustation.	Cu²⁺(Copper)
7	Yellow residue and yellow incrustation when hot and white in cold.	Zn²⁺(Zinc)
8	White residue	May be Al³⁺, Ca²⁺, Ba²⁺ or Mg²⁺
9	Black residue without incrustation.	Fe³⁺, Ni³⁺, Mn²⁺
10	No bead, white liquid globule and smoke.	Hg (Mercury)

(ii) Borax Bead Test

S.No	Colour of the Bead in Oxidising Flame		Colour of the Bead in Reducing Flame		Inference
S.No	*Hot*	*Cold*	*Hot*	*Cold*	Inference
1	Green	Blue	Reddish or Colourless	Reddish or Colourless	Copper
2	Yellow	Yellow	Green	Green	Iron
3	Brown	Brown	Grey or Black	Grey or Black	Nickel
4	Pink	Pink	Colourless	Colourless	Manganese

(iii) Flame Test

S.No	Colour of the Flame		Inference
S.No	With Naked Eye	Through Blue Glass	Inference
1	Golden Yellow	Nil	Sodium (Na⁺)
2	Violet	Pink	Potassium (K⁺)
3	Crimson red	Purple or crimson	Strontium (Sr²⁺)
4	Brick red	Light yellow	Calcium (Ca²⁺)
5	Light green	Bluish green	Barium (Ba²⁺)
6	Bluish green or blue	Bluish green or blue	Copper (Cu²⁺)
7	Flashes of green	Not characteristic	Zinc (Zn²⁺) or Manganese (Mn²⁺)

Results

The given salt contains ________ (NH₄⁺, K⁺, Ag⁺, Hg₂²⁺, Pb²⁺, Hg²⁺, Cu²⁺, Bi³⁺, Cd²⁺, As³⁺, Sb³⁺, Sn⁴⁺, Al³⁺, Fe³⁺, Co²⁺, Ni²⁺, Cr³⁺, Zn²⁺, Mn²⁺, Ca²⁺, Sr²⁺, Ba²⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺) cation.

Precautions

Read the label carefully on the bottle before using any reagent or chemicals. Never use a reagent that is unlabeled.
Always use an apron, an eye protector and hand gloves in the chemical laboratory.
In smelling chemicals or vapors, be careful. Always gently fan the vapors to your nose
Do not unnecessarily mix chemicals with reagents. Do not taste chemicals at all.
For dilution, always pour acid into water. Never add acid to water.
Never add or throw sodium metal into the sink or dustbin.
Be careful as the test tube is heated. When heating or adding a reagent, the test tube should never point to yourself or your neighbors.
For dilution, always pour acid into water. Never add acid to water.
Keep clean your working environment. Never throw in the sink any papers and glass. For this purpose, always use dustbin.
Be careful with explosive compounds, flammable substances, toxic gasses, electrical appliances, glass products, flames and hot substances.
Always use the minimum quantity of reagents. The use of excessive reagents not only leads to chemicals being wasted, but also causes environmental damage.
Always wash your hands after the laboratory work has been completed.

Frequently Asked Questions on Systematic Analysis of Cations

Name the group 1 cation which forms white precipitate.

Pb2+.

Name the group 2 cation which forms chocolate brown precipitate.

Cu2+.

Name the group 3 cation which produces a deep red colour.

Fe3+

Name the group 4 cation which obtains a black precipitate.

Ni2.

Name the group 4 cation which obtains a white precipitate.

Sr2+

Systematic Analysis of Cations

Table of Contents

Aim