Salt Analysis: Ammonium Chloride (NH₄​Cl)

1. Physical Examination of the Salt

Experiment	Observation	Inference
Colour	White	Fe2+, Cu2+, Ni2+, Co2+, Mg2+ are absent
Smell	Ammoniacal smell	NH4+​ may be present
Deliquescence	Does not absorb moisture	Non-deliquescent

2. Dry Heating Test

Experiment	Observation	Inference
A pinch of salt is taken in a dry test tube and heated.	Ammoniacal smell along with white sublimate on the inner wall of the test tube.	NH4​Cl may be present

3. Flame Test                                                                                                                   

Experiment	Observation	Inference
Clean platinum wire dipped in conc. HCl, touched with the given salt, and held at the edge of the oxidizing flame of a Bunsen burner.	No characteristic flame observed	Inconclusive

4. Concentrated H₂​SO₄​ Test

Experiment	Observation	Inference
A pinch of salt is taken in a dry test tube and heated with 2 drops of conc. H2​SO4​.	Colourless gas evolves with a pungent, suffocating smell.	Chloride, Sulphate may be present

5. Wet Test for Acid Radical (Chloride Ion, Cl−)

Experiment	Observation	Inference
A small aqueous solution of the salt is taken in a test tube. Drops of HNO3​ are added, followed by AgNO3​ solution.	A highly curdy white precipitate is observed, which is highly soluble in NH4​OH solution.	Presence of Cl− confirmed

Reactions:

• Cl^─ + AgNO₃ ​→ AgCl↓ (Curdy white precipitate) + NO₃^─
• AgCl + 2NH₄​OH → [Ag(NH₃​)₂​]Cl (Soluble complex) + 2H₂​O

6. Test for Zero Group Cation (Ammonium Ion, NH₄⁺​)

Experiment	Observation	Inference
To an aqueous solution of the salt, dilute NaOH solution is added and warmed.	A pungent smelling, colourless gas evolves which makes brown precipitate with Nessler’s reagent.	Presence of NH3​ (and thus NH4+​) is confirmed

Reactions:

• NH₄​Cl + NaOH → NaCl + H₂​O + NH₃​↑ (Pungent fumes)
• K₂​[HgI₄​] + NH₃​ + NaOH → NH₂​⋅HgO⋅HgI↓ + NaI + H₂​O

Conclusion for Zero Group Cation:

Since a zero-group cation (NH₄⁺​) is predicted in the given salt, no further group analysis is done.

Results for Salt 1 (NH₄​Cl)

• Acid Radical: Cl⁻ (Chloride ion)
• Basic Radical: NH₄⁺​ (Ammonium ion)