AS Chemistry cation identification tests a visual guide Designed by Samuel Millar
suspected aqueous cation KEY suspected aqueous cation (colour indicated) precipitate solution smoke reagent solution: { NaOH (aq) sodium hydroxide solution NH3 (aq) ammonium hydroxide solution KSCN(aq) potassium thiocyanate solution K2CrO4 (aq) potassium chromate solution
deep blue soln (complex ion solution) COPPER (II) NH3 (aq) (add dropwise) Cu2+(aq) NaOH (aq) Cu2+(aq) pale blue ppt soluble in excess: deep blue soln (complex ion solution) pale blue ppt insoluble in excess
(complex ion solution) IRON (III) NH3 (aq) or NaOH (aq) Fe3+(aq) KSCN (aq) Fe3+(aq) rust-brown ppt insoluble in excess blood red soln (complex ion solution)
IRON (II) Fe2+(aq) NH3 (aq) NaOH (aq) dirty green ppt or NaOH (aq) Fe2+(aq) dirty green ppt insoluble in excess
soluble in hydrochloric acid: BARIUM (II) KCrO4 (aq) Ba2+(aq) yellow ppt soluble in hydrochloric acid: yellow soln
pungent colourless gas evolved AMMONIUM NaOH(aq) NH4+(aq) HEAT pungent colourless gas evolved reacts with hydrogen chloride vapour: white smoke
soluble: colourless soln insoluble insoluble ALUMINIUM (III), ZINC (II), MAGNESIUM (II) These cations all produce white precipitates with NaOH and NH3 solutions. The precipitates have the following solubilities in excess: Al3+ (aq) Zn2+ (aq) Mg2+ (aq) NH3 (aq) soluble: colourless soln (complex ion soln) insoluble insoluble NaOH (aq) soluble: colourless soln (ppt amphoteric) soluble: colourless soln (ppt amphoteric) insoluble
FLAME TESTS Cation Flame colour Li+ Crimson-red Na+ Yellow/orange K+ Lilac/pink through blue glass Ca2+ Brick red Sr2+ Red Ba2+ Green Cu2+ Blue-green Burning glass Orange!