UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA SABAH

FACULTY OF APPLIED SCIENCE

DIPLOMA IN SCIENCE

CHM360 LABORATORY REPORT

EXPERIMENT 2 : QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS OF GROUP II CATIONS

GROUP MEMBER :

A.ZUL RAFIQ BIN SAPILIH - 2010202814

MOHD SHAFIQ BIN MOHD KAMARI - 2010608212

AHMAD ISMI ZULFADLI BIN ISHAK – 2010852022

ALEXANDER TAGANDAP – 2010269582

GROUP : AS1206A1

DATE : 7th JANUARY 2012

LECTURER : MADAM GAN GIN HOON

EXPERIMENT 2

Qualitative analysis of Group II Cations : Hg22+, Cu2+, Sn2+ and Sn4+

OBJECTIVE

To identify the group II cations in solutions.

INTRODUCTION

Among the most common reactions in qualitative analysis are those involving the formation or
decomposition of complex ions and precipitation reactions. These reactions may be performed
directly by adding the appropriate anion, or a reagent such as H 2S or NH3 may dissociate in
water to furnish the anion. Strong acid may be used to dissolve precipitates containing a basic
anion. Ammonia or sodium hydroxide may be used to bring a solid into solution if the cation in
the precipitate forms a stable complex with NH3 or OH-.

A cation is usually present as a single principal species, which may be a complex ion, free ion, or
precipitate. If the reaction goes to completion the principal species is a complex ion. The
precipitate is the principal species if most of the precipitate remains undissolved. If a cation
forms a stable complex, addition of a complexing agent at 1M or greater generally will convert
the free ion to complex ion.

The dissociation constant Kd can be used to determine the extent to which a cation is converted
to a complex ion. The solubility product constant Ksp can be used to determine the fraction of
cation remaining in a solution after precipitation. Kd and Ksp are both required to calculate the
equilibrium constant for dissolving a precipitate in a complexing agent.
CHEMICALS

Solutions of Hg2+, Cu2+, Sn2+ and Sn4+, NH3, NaOH, KI, K2CrO4, HgCl2.

PROCEDURE

PART A: Reactions of Group II cations.

1. Small amount of ammonia solution in dropwise was added to test tube contained small
solution of cations. When precipitation formed, the color observed. Then, excess
ammonia solution was added to the test tube and the solubility was observed.
2. Small amount of NaOH solution was added in dropwise to test tube containing sample of
cations. When precipitate formed, the color was observed. Then, excess amount of NaOH
solutions was added and the solubility was observed.
3. Small amount of Potassium Iodide, KI solution was added to a test tube containing small
amount of the cations. The color of precipitate was observed. Then, excess amount of
Potassium Iodide solution was added and the solubility was observed.
4. Small amount of Potassium Chromate, K2CrO4 solution was added to a test tube
containing small amount of cations. The precipitate formed was recorded. Then excess
amount of Potassium Chromate solution was added, the solubility of the precipitate was
observed.
5. Step 1-5 is done by using two different cations which is solutions of Hg2+ and Cu2+. The
color of precipitate and solubility of precipitate was recorded.
6. For Sn2+ and Sn4+, some mercury(II) Chloride, HgCl2 solution was added to the solution
and the color precipitate formed was recorded.

PART B: Identification of the cations present in unknown samples.

Test as in PART A was carried out on solution B1 and Solution B2, the cations present in
each solutions was identified by the color of the precipitate and its solubility of all the
cations on the PART A.
RESULTS

Cations NH3 NaOH KI K2CrO4 HgCl2

Hg2+  When NH3  When small  When small  When small -
added, colourless amount of amount of KI amount of
solution turned NaOH solution solution added, yellow K2CrO4
to chalky with added, colourless added, there is
white precipitate. colourless solution turns no reaction.
 When excess solution turned to light orange
NH3 added, the to light yellow with dark
precipitate with dark yellow orange
dissolved. precipitate. precipitate.
 When NaOH  When excess
added in KI added, the
excess, the precipitate
precipitate does does not
not dissolved. dissolved.
Cu2+  When NH3  When small  When small  When small -
added, pale blue amount of amount of KI amount of
solution turn to NaOH solution solution added, yellow K2CrO4
dark blue with added the pale blue added, pale
blue precipitate. solution turn solution turns blue solution
 When excess from pale blue to yellow turn to pale
NH3 added, to gel blue solution. yellow.
solution turn solution with  When excess  After added
from dark blue to blue precipitate. KI added, K2CrO4 in
milky blue with  When NaOH yellow solution excess,
the precipitate added in turns to dirty solutions turns
dissolved. excess, solution yellow solution to dirty yellow
turns to with white solution with
gelatinous precipitate reddish brown
precipitate. formed. precipitate
formed
Sn2+  When NH3  When NaOH  When KI  When solution  When
solution added solution added solution added of K2CrO4 solution of
to solution of to solution of to solution of added to HgCl2 added
Sn2+, there is no Sn2+, there is no Sn2+,colourless solution of to solution of
reaction. reaction. solution turn to Sn2+, Sn2+, there is
 After excess  After excess yellow solution colourless no reaction.
NH3 added, NaOH added,  When excess solution turn
there is still no there is still no added, there is to dark yellow
reaction. reaction. no reaction.
Cations NH3 NaOH KI K2CrO4 HgCl2
Sn4+  When small  When small  When small  When small  When
amount of NH3 amount of amount of KI amount of solution of
solution added, NaOH added, added, the K2CrO4, the HgCl2 added
the colour of the the colour of colour of the colour of the to solution
solution change the solution solution solution change of Sn4+,
from colourless change from change from from colourless there is no
to chalky white colourless to colourless to to pale yellow reaction.
precipitate is cloudy and yellow. and yellow
formed at the white  When excess precipitate
bottom of the precipitate amount of KI formed.
test tube. formed. added, no  When excess
 When excess of  When excess reaction occur. amount of
NH3 solution amount of K2CrO4, the
added, the white NaOH added, colour of the
precipitate the white solution change
dissolved. precipitate to dark yellow
dissolve. and more yellow
precipitate
formed.
B1  When NH3  When NaOH  When KI  When solution of  No reaction
solution added solution added solution added K2CrO4 added to occur.
to solution of to solution of to solution of solution of B1,
B1, there is no B1, there is no B1, colourless colourless
reaction. reaction. solution turn to solution turn to
 After excess  After excess yellow solution. dark yellow.
NH3 added, NaOH added,  When excess
there is still no there is still no added, there is
reaction. reaction. no reaction.
B2  When small  When small  When small  When small  No reaction
amount of NH3 amount of amount of KI amount of occur.
solution added, NaOH added, added, the K2CrO4, the
the colour of the the colour of colour of the colour of the
solution change the solution solution solution change
from colourless change from change from from colourless
to chalky white colourless to colourless to to pale yellow
precipitate is cloudy and yellow. and yellow
formed at the white  When excess precipitate
bottom of the precipitate amount of KI formed.
test tube. formed. added, no  When excess
 When excess of  When excess reaction occur. amount of
NH3 solution amount of K2CrO4, the
added, the white NaOH added, colour of the
precipitate the white solution change
dissolved. precipitate to dark yellow
dissolve. and more yellow
precipitate
formed.
DISCUSSION

Based on the experiment carried in, for the addition of some NH3 solution to the solution of cations cause
the solutions of Hg2+ and Sn4+ to turn from colourless solution to chalky solution and consist of white
precipitate that is deposited on the bottom of the test tube. Next, all the test tube contained the white
precipitate were added with excess amount of NH3 solutions. The results turn out that when the test
tube with white precipitate that originally contain Hg2+ and Sn4+ ion, the precipitate were dissolve little by
little until all of it eventually dissolved upon the addition of NH3 solution. This indicates the complex
formation. For Cu2+ cation, when NH3 added, pale blue solution turns to dark blue with blue precipitate.
When excess NH3 added, solution turned from dark blue to milky blue with the precipitate dissolved.
While for Sn2+ cation, it shows no reaction upon the addition of NH3 solution. After excess NH3 added to
Sn2+, it still shows no reaction. Therefore, based on the results we can differentiate them by different
result whn NH3 added which only Hg2+ and Sn4+ cation turned to chalky with white precipitate, Cu2+
turned to dark blue with blue precipitate and Sn2+ shows no reaction.

For the second test, upon the addition of small amount of NaOH solutions to Hg2+ solution cause the
colourless solution turned to light yellow with dark yellow precipitate. Gel blue solution with blue
precipitate was formed with addition of NaOH solution with Cu2+ solution while for addition of NaOH
solution to Sn4+ solution cause the solution turn to chalky solution and white precipitate formed. For Sn2+
solution, there is no reaction upon addition of NaOH solution. After the precipitate formed, NaOH solution
then added in excess to all four test tubes containing solutions of Hg2+, Cu2+, Sn2+ and Sn4+. For Sn4+
solutions, the white precipitate was dissolved and forming colourless homogeneous solution after the
addition of NaOH solution that indicates the complex formation. While for both of the solutions of Hg2+
and Cu2+ the addition of NaOH solutions in excess cause the precipitate to remain and does not dissolve.
For Sn2+, it still show no reaction upon addition of excess NaOH solution. Thus, for the second test, firstly
the solutions of Hg2+, Cu2+, Sn2+ and Sn4+ can be compare by using small amount of NaOH solutions
where dark yellow precipitate formed with Hg2+,blue precipitate for Cu2+ solution and white precipitate
formed for Sn4+ solution while no reaction for Sn2+. Secondly, with addition of excess NaOH solution,
homogeneous colourless solution will be formed with Sn4+ solution while precipitate remained for both
solutions of Hg2+, and Cu2+ solutions.
For the third test, when small amount of KI added to the Hg2+,the colour of solution will change from
colurless to light yellow and dark orange precipitate formed. When added to Cu2+ and B2, the colour of
solution change from pale blue to yellow. When added to Sn2+, Sn4+ and B1, the reaction are the same
which the solution change from colorless to yellow. For in excess, only Cu2+ give reaction because yellow
solution turns to dirty yellow solution with white precipitate formed. For the Hg2+, the white precipitate
was not dissolve and for cations Sn2+, Sn4+, B1 and B2 solution, there is no reaction that occur on this
four test tube.

For the fourth test, when small amount of K2CrO4, there is no reaction that occur on the test tube
containing Hg2+, while in the test tube containing Sn2+ the solution change from colourless to dark
yellow. In the test tube that containing Cu2+ and B1 solution, the reaction are the same which the colour
of the solution change from pale blue to dark yellow. For test tube containing Sn4+ and B2 solution, the
reaction also same where both of this cations and solution, the colour of the solution change from
colourless to pale yellow and yellow precipitate formed. When excess of K2CrO4 added to Hg2+, still no
reaction occur while in the test tube containing Cu2+, solutions turns to dirty yellow solution with reddish
brown precipitate formed. For cations Sn4+ and B2 solution, both of it have same reaction which are , the
colour of the solution change to dark yellow and more yellow precipitate formed.

For our fifth reagent which is HgCl2, it was only added to two cations which is Sn2+ and Sn4+, but it
shows no reaction upon the addition of HgCl2 to the solutions.

In this experiment, we are required to identify an unknown samples which is B1 and B2 by carry out the
tests using same reagent which is NH3, NaOH, KI, K2CrO4, HgCl2. According to the results, we identified
B1 solution as Sn2+ while B2 solution is Sn4+. A few precautions were done to ensure our results contain
less or no error. Firstly, before conducting the experiment all the test tubes were cleaned first to prevent
contamination. Then, they were rinsed with little amount of the cation solutions to be used on each test
tubes. Then, the tip of the dropper used for each of the solution were ensure not to touch the surface of
the test tube and does not leave lie on the table after each use. It was pun inside the container of the
solutions. This precaution taken to prevent contamination to the solutions.
QUESTIONS

Write the equation of the following reactions:

1. Reaction between tin(IV) ion and Sodium Hydroxide (limited and excess).

Sn4+ (aq) + 4OH-(aq) Sn(OH)4(s) (limited)

Sn(OH)4(s) + 2OH-(aq) [Sn(OH)6]2-(aq) (excess)

2. Reaction between Mercury(II) Ion and Potassium Iodide(limited and excess)

Hg2+(aq) + 3I-(aq) HgI3(s) (limited)

HgI3(aq) + I(aq) HgI (excess)

3. Reaction between Copper(II) Ion and Potassium Iodide.

Cu2+(aq) + I-(aq) CuI2(aq)

CONCLUSION

The reagents used to identify cations give different results such as precipitate, colour and
complex formation and thus can be used to identify an unknown solution. B1 solution identified
as Sn2+ solution and B2 is Sn4+ solution.

REFERENCES

1. Raymond Chang and Brandon Cruickshank 2005. Chemistry Eighth Edition. McGraw-Hill
International Edition.
2. Martin S.Silberberg 2009. Chemistry : The Molecular Nature of Matter and Change Fifth
Edition. McGraw-Hill International Edition.