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CHEMISTRY : Metal Cation Identification

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In this section there are documents and results about the reactions produced between metal ions (cations) in solution with various anions. The specific precipitates / colour changes observed are reported for every positve result. 21 different metals ions where tested against 32 different anions. The list of anions used is given below - classic examples being Hydroxide, Carbonate, and Sulphide. From the pattern of results obtained, one can easily identify the metal present in an unknown solution by comparing the results of reactions produced by the unknown cation in solution with the known ones given here.
Note that for a visible reaction to take place there must be enough cation in solution - trace amounts may fail to produce a visible colour change. Hence these tests are not good for identifying trace amounts of the cation.

The 32 anions used in the following tests are:
  1. Sodium Hydroxide
  2. Ammonium Hydroxide
  3. Sodium Carbonate
  4. Potassium Sulphate
  5. Sodium ThioSulphate
  6. Sodium (Metabi)Sulphite
  7. Sodium Sulphide
  8. Sodium Fluoride


  9. Sodium Chloride
  10. Potassium Bromide
  11. Ammomium Iodide
  12. Potassium Iodate
  13. Ammonium Phosphate
  14. Sodium TetraBorate (Borate)
  15. Sodium Salicylate
  16. Sodium Benzoate


  17. Tannic Acid
  18. Sodium Malate sol.
  19. Sodium Methanoate sol.
  20. Sodium Ethanoate
  21. Sodium Citrate
  22. Sodium Tartarate
  23. Sodium Silicate
  24. Potassium Ferro(II)Cyanide


  25. Potassium Ferri(III)Cyanide
  26. Sodium Vanadate
  27. Potassium Permanganate
  28. Potassium Dichromate
  29. Sodium Tungstate
  30. Ammonium Molybdate
  31. Sodium BiSelenite
  32. Potassium Thiocyanate
You can view the report and set of results for every different metal by clicking the corresponding metal in the list below, or just see a summary of all the reaction (32 x 21 = 672 reactions) via a link at the end of the list. The metals are listed in alphabetical order.

Menu Table of Metal Cations tested by Precipitation Reactions
No. METAL Atomic No. / Atomic Weight Periodicity Density Melting Point / 0C Boiling Point / 0C INFO RESULTS
01 ALUMINIUM    (Al) 13 / 27 Group 3 2.70 660 2467 Read Click Here
02 ANTIMONY    (Sb) 51 / 122 Group 5 6.68 631 1750 Read Click Here
03 BARIUM   (Ba) 56 / 137 Group 2 3.51 725 1640 Read Click Here
04 BISMUTH   (Bi) 83 / 209 Group 5 9.80 271 1560 Read Click Here
05 CADMIUM   (Cd) 48 / 112 Transitional (2,10) 8.64 321 765 Read Click Here
06 CALCIUM   (Ca) 20 / 40 Group 2 1.54 839 1484 Read Click Here
07 CERIUM    (Ce) 58 / 140 Lactanide Series 6.66 798 3257 Read Click Here
08 CHROMIUM   (Cr) 24 / 52 Transistional (1,4) 7.19 1857 2672 Read Click Here
09 COBALT   (Co) 27 / 59 Transitional (1,7) 8.92 1495 2870 Read Click Here
10 COPPER   (Cu) 29 / 63.5 Transitional (1,7) 8.90 1083 2567 Read Click Here
11 IRON   (Fe) 26 / 56 Transitional (1,6) 7.87 1535 2750 Read Click Here
12 LEAD   (Pb) 82 / 207 Group 4 11.34 327 1740 Read Click Here
13 MAGNESIUM   (Mg) 12 / 24 Group 2 1.74 649 1090 Read Click Here
14 MANGANESE   (Mn) 25 / 55 Transitional (1,5) 7.20 1244 1962 Read Click Here
15 MERCURY   (Hg) 80 / 201 Transitional (3,10) 13.6 -39 357 Read Click Here
16 NICKEL   (Ni) 28 / 59 Transitional (1,8) 8.90 1453 2732 Read Click Here
17 SILVER   (Ag) 47 / 108 Transitional (2,8) 10.5 962 2212 Read Click Here
18 STRONTIUM   (Sr) 38 / 88 Group 2 2.60 769 1384 Read Click Here
19 TIN   (Sn) 50 / 119 Group 4 7.30 232 2272 Read Click Here
20 ZINC   (Zn) 30 / 65 Transitional (1,10) 7.13 420 907 Read Click Here
21 ZIRCONIUM   (Zr) 40 / 91 Transitional (2,2) 6.51 1852 4377 Read Click Here




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