Colors of Solutions, Flames, and Precipitates

Colors of solutions, flames, and precipitates.doc

Compound/Complex Ion in Solution (aq)

CoCl2(H2O)

Color
Green

[Co(H2O)4]2+

Blue

Fe(SCN)2+

Yellow/Orange

CoCl4

2-

Blue

[Co(H2O)6]

2+

Pink

Cu(NO3)2; CuSO4

Blue/Green

Fe(NO3)2

Orange

K2CrO4

Yellow

K2Cr2O7

Orange

NiCl2; [Ni(H2O)6]

2+

Green

[Cr(H2O)6]

3+

Purple/Blue

[Cr(H2O)6]

2+

Light Blue

5+

Yellow

4+

Blue

3+

Green

2+

Violet

2+

3+

2+

2+

Mg , Al , Ca , Zn ...

Colorless

I2 (in oil)

Purple

Br2 (in oil)

Orange

Cl2 (in oil)

Faint Yellow/Colorless

Compound (in flame/heat)

Na+

Color
Intense Yellow (it will mask most other colors)

K+

Weak Violet
-

NO3 Cl

Colorless (as are most anions)

Ba

2+

Green to slightly yellow

Ca

2+

Red-Orange

2+

Faint Blue-Grey

2+

Deep Blue or Green

Pb

Cu

Li+
Sr

Crimson (Bright Red)

2+

Crimson (Red-Orange)

Precipitates
AgCl; BaSO4; PbSO4

Color
White

PbI2; PbCrO4

Yellow

CuO

Black

Ag2CrO4

Brown/Red

Al2CrO4

Yellow/Brown

Solubility Rules and some common precipitate colors

1). All common salts of the nitrate ion (NO3) are soluble in water.
2). All common salts of the Na+, K+, and NH4+ cations are soluble in water.

3). Most common salts of the Cl, Br, and I anions are soluble in water EXCEPT
when the accompanying cation is Ag+, Pb2+, and Hg22+.
4). All common salts of the sulfate ion (SO42-) are soluble in water EXCEPT when the
accompanying cation is Ba2+, Sr2+, and Pb2+.
5). Salts of the S2- ion are insoluble in water EXCEPT when the accompanying cation
is Na+, K+, NH4+, Ba2+, and Ca2+.
6). Most of the transition metal cations (Ag+, Cu2+, Ni2+, etc.) form complexes with
aqueous ammonia. Sometimes, ammonia is used to "dissolve" otherwise insoluble
precipitates of these metal cations.
Colors of Some Common Water-Insoluble Materials
Carbonates, CO32Ag2CO3
=
yellow
CuCO3
=
pale blue
BaCO3
=
white
CaCO3
=
white
Chlorides, ClAgCl
=
white
Hg2Cl2
=
white
PbCl2
=
white
CuCl
=
white
Hydroxides, OHAgOH
=
grey-brown
Cu(OH)2
=
pale blue
Fe(OH)3
=
rust red
Ni(OH)2
=
pale green
Pb(OH)2
=
white
Zn(OH)2
=
white
Iodides, IAgI
=
yellow
Hg2I2
=
yellow-orange
PbI2
=
yellow
CuI
=
brown
Sulfides, S2Ag2S
=
black
CuS
=
black
Fe2S3
=
black
HgS
=
black
NiS
=
black
PbS
=
black
2Sulfates, SO4
BaSO4
=
white
PbSO4
=
white

Usually the cation dictates the color.

For example,
OH-, PO4(3-), CO3(2-) are "white," which means that they contribute no visible color.
Cu2+ precipitates are usually blue-to-green.
Ni+2, green;
Fe2+, pale green;
Fe3+, orange-brown;
Co2+, blue.
Sometimes the anion gives a color with a "white" cation.
For example, PbCrO4, MgCrO4, SrCrO4, and BaCrO4 are all yellow,
while Ag2CrO4 is orange-brown.

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