Salt Analysis: Ammonium Chloride (NH₄Cl)

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.	NH4Cl 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. Reaction with Concentrated H₂SO₄

Experiment	Observation	Inference
A pinch of salt is taken in a dry test tube and heated with 2 drops of conc. H2SO4.	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 NH4OH solution.	Presence of Cl– confirmed

6. Test for Basic Radical (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

Conclusion for Zero Group Cation

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

Result for Salt 1 (NH₄Cl)

• Basic Radical: NH₄⁺ (Ammonium ion)
• Acid Radical: Cl^– (Chloride ion)