Qualitative analysis is the chemical technique use to identify the composition of a substance or ion present in inorganic substance by breaking

it down into its constituents. In other words, qualitative is a process to identify the type of ions in a compound. Ions are divided into two type which is anion and cations. It only determines the presence or absence of a particular ion in a given substance. This method does not determine how much of a particular ion is present. There are a few general steps to test the presence of ion. The first step in the separation is to divide the ions in the above list into smaller groups by adding a reagent which will precipitate certain of the ions as insoluble salts of that reagent. To identify the anions for which are carbonate ion, iodide ion, sulphate ion, chloride ion, nitrate ion and hydroxide ion, first litmus paper would be inserted into the solution. If the litmus would turn to blue so the ions present either hydroxide ion or carbonate ion. Next step is taken further by adding dilute hydrochloric acid into the solution. If bubbles of gas are produce then carbonate ion is present in the solution because carbon dioxide gas is releases during addition of acid into the solution. If no bubbles are formed, the ion present in the solution is hydroxide ion. After that, if barium nitrate is added into the solution and white precipitate is formed, the ion present is sulphate. However if silver nitrate is added into the solution and precipitate is not formed, the ion present in the solution is nitrate ion and if there is precipitate the ion present would be either chloride or iodide ion. Then, dilute ammonia solutions are added into the solution. If the precipitate disappears then the ion present is chloride but if the precipitate remains the ion present is iodide. Identifying cation would be much complicated because a lot of analysis has to be made by the existence of many cation to be identified. The first step to be taken is by adding two drops of dilute sodium hydroxide. If green precipitate is formed then the ion present is iron (ii). If orange precipitate is formed then the ion formed is iron(iii). If blue precipitate is formed then the ion presents is copper(ii). If brown precipitate is formed then the ion presents is silver. The complicated part occurs if white precipitate is formed. The ion that probably presents in the solution is either aluminium, zinc, magnesium, barium and lead(ii).

Then excess sodium hydroxide solution is added and the solution is being observed. If precipitate remains it means magnesium or barium ion is presents, dilute hydrochloric acid is added and if white precipitate still remains, barium ion is present in the solution. If it dissolves then magnesium ion is presents in the solution. From the part of adding of excess sodium hydroxide solution, if the precipitate disappear then aluminium ion, zinc ion or lead(ii) ion is present. Two drops of ammonia solution is added and then in excess and the solution is observed. If white precipitate is formed and disappears the ion presents is zinc. If the white precipitate remains, the ion presents in the solution is lead(ii) or aluminium. Dilute hydrochloric acid is added and if colourless solution is formed the ion is aluminium and if the white precipitate remains it is lead(ii) ion. If the solution at first being added with two drops of sodium hydroxide solution and no precipitate is formed then the ion that would presents is ammonium ion or sodium ion. To determine either the ion is ammonium or sodium the sodium hydroxide solution is added and next being heated. The gas releases is tested with red litmus paper. If the litmus paper turn blue it is ammonium ion that present in the solution and if the litmus remains red it is sodium ion. The litmus turn to blue when being tested with ammonium ion is because ammonium ion is a bases.