| 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 |