| Cation |
NaOH(aq) |
NH3(aq) |
Na2CO3(aq) |
H2SO4 or Na2SO4(aq) |
HCl or NaCl (aq) |
Confirmatory test |
| Na+ |
− |
− |
− |
− |
− |
Flame test - yellow flame |
| Al3+ |
White precipitate soluble in excess NaOH |
White precipitate soluble in excess NH3 |
White precipitate soluble in excess HNO3 |
− |
− |
− |
| Pb2+ |
White precipitate soluble in excess NaOH |
White precipitate soluble in excess NH3 |
White precipitate soluble in excess HNO3 |
White precipitate |
White precipitate soluble in hot water |
KI - yellow precipitate
KCL - white precipitate
Both soluble in hot water |
| Zn2+ |
White precipitate soluble in excess NaOH |
White precipitate soluble in excess NH3 |
White precipitate soluble in excess HNO3 |
− |
− |
White precipitate with potassium hyxacyanoferrate(II), K4Fe(CN)6 |
| Mg2+ |
White precipitate soluble in excess NaOH |
White precipitate soluble in excess NH3 |
White precipitate soluble in excess HNO3 |
− |
− |
− |
| Ca2+ |
White precipitate soluble in excess NaOH |
No precipitate |
White precipitate soluble in excess HNO3 |
White precipitate |
− |
− |
| Cu2+ |
Blue precipitate soluble in excess NaOH |
Blue precipitate soluble in excess NH3 |
Blue precipitate |
Blue solution |
Blue solution |
Blue precipitate with potassium hyxacyanoferrate(III), K3Fe(CN)6 |
| Fe2+ |
Dirty green precipitate insoluble in excess NaOH |
Dirty green precipitate soluble in excess NH3 |
Green precipitate |
Green solution |
Green solution |
Dark blue precipitate with potassium hyxacyanoferrate(III),K3Fe(CN)6 |
| Fe3+ |
Brown precipitate soluble in excess NaOH |
Brown precipitate soluble in excess NH3 |
Brown precipitate |
Brown solution |
Brown solution |
Blood red solution with potassium thiocyanate, KSCN |
| NH4+ |
NH3 released upon heating |
− |
− |
− |
− |
Brown precipitate with Nessler's reagent |