Testing For Anions and Cations. EDEXCEL C3

FLAME TEST

• Calcium-Brick Red (to remember this I think of the milk top on skimmed milk)
• Sodium-Yellow
• Potassium-Lilac
• Copper-Green

These are very basic and you have to do further tests to distinguish the cation

PRECIPITATE REACTION

add dilute sodium hydroxide

• Ammonium-None
• Aluminium- White
• Calcium-White  (to remember this I think of calcium making your teeth white)
• Copper-Blue
• Iron(II)-Green
• Iron(III)-Brown(rust)

To distinguish between calcium and aluminium- add excess dilute sodium hydroxide. The precipitate…