Chemistry Qualitative Analysis Notes (O Level & IGCSE)
CAIE 5070 / 0620 | Updated 2026
Your ultimate qualitative analysis chemistry o level notes — cheat sheets, flow charts, and past paper trends. No more random YouTube videos with ads and incomplete syllabus coverage. Get the complete O Level Chemistry notes PDF.
Boost your study vibe — watch this while revising QA tables
🔬 What is Qualitative Analysis in Chemistry?
Qualitative analysis (QA) is the branch of analytical chemistry that identifies the chemical constituents (cations, anions, gases) in an unknown sample. For O Level Chemistry 5070 & IGCSE 0620, it's a core practical and theory topic. Unlike quantitative (moles/stoichiometry), QA focuses on observations: colours, precipitates, effervescence. We have prepared these chemistry qualitative analysis notes o level exactly to the latest 2026 syllabus. Avoid the trap of watching disjointed YouTube tutorials; instead use our Chemistry Formula Sheet PDF alongside these notes.
Prof. Faisal Janjowa (The Chemistry Guru)
20+ years experience, Cambridge examiner. Author of O Level Chemistry Ultimate Pack. Watch solved past papers below. Access Ultimate Pack.
🔴 IGCSE 0620_m22_qp_62 SOLVED
⚪ O Level 5070_s23_qp_42 SOLVED
📋 Cations/Anions cheat sheet
🎤 Learn Periodic Table Groups 1-8 in one song
🧪 Tests for Anions (from Cambridge O Level Appendix) [download PDF]
| Anion | Test Procedure | Observation (Result) |
|---|---|---|
| Carbonate (CO₃²⁻) | Add dilute acid (HCl or HNO₃) | Effervescence, CO₂ produced (limewater milky) |
| Chloride (Cl⁻) [in solution] | Acidify with dilute nitric acid, then add aqueous silver nitrate | White precipitate |
| Iodide (I⁻) [in solution] | Acidify with dil. HNO₃ + AgNO₃(aq) | Yellow precipitate |
| Nitrate (NO₃⁻) [in solution] | Add aq NaOH + aluminium foil; warm carefully | Ammonia produced (turns damp red litmus blue) |
| Sulfate (SO₄²⁻) [in solution] | Acidify with dil. HNO₃ + barium nitrate | White ppt (insoluble in excess acid) |
Source: Cambridge O Level Chemistry 5070 syllabus appendix [citation:5]
⚗️ Tests for Aqueous Cations (NaOH & NH₃)
| Cation | Effect of aq NaOH | Effect of aq Ammonia |
|---|---|---|
| Aluminium (Al³⁺) | White ppt, soluble in excess → colourless | White ppt, insoluble in excess |
| Ammonium (NH₄⁺) | Ammonia produced on warming | — |
| Calcium (Ca²⁺) | White ppt, insoluble excess | No ppt |
| Chromium(III) (Cr³⁺) | Green ppt, soluble excess → green soln | Green ppt, insoluble excess |
| Copper(II) (Cu²⁺) | Light blue ppt, insoluble excess | Light blue ppt, soluble excess → dark blue |
| Iron(II) (Fe²⁺) | Green ppt, insoluble excess (darkens in air) | Green ppt, insoluble |
| Iron(III) (Fe³⁺) | Red-brown ppt, insoluble excess | Red-brown ppt, insoluble |
| Zinc (Zn²⁺) | White ppt, soluble excess → colourless | White ppt, soluble excess → colourless |
2026 tip: flame tests — Li⁺ crimson, Na⁺ yellow, K⁺ lilac, Ca²⁺ brick red, Ba²⁺ apple green, Cu²⁺ blue-green [citation:6].
💨 Gas Tests Cheatsheet
| Gas | Test | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Ammonia (NH₃) | Damp red litmus | Turns blue |
| Carbon dioxide (CO₂) | Limewater | Milky / turbid |
| Chlorine (Cl₂) | Damp litmus | Bleaches (turns white) |
| Hydrogen (H₂) | Lighted splint | ‘Pop’ sound |
| Oxygen (O₂) | Glowing splint | Relights |
| Sulfur dioxide (SO₂) | Acidified KMnO₄ | Purple to colourless |
❓ Frequently Asked Questions (Qualitative Analysis)
It's the identification of ions and gases by observing chemical reactions — e.g., precipitate formation, colour changes, gas tests. See notes above.
Use mnemonics: "Zinc and Aluminium are soluble in excess NaOH, but only Zinc dissolves in excess ammonia". Practise with free cheat sheet.
Most are not aligned with CAIE 5070/0620 syllabus; they contain ads and incomplete explanations. Our short courses cover everything in 2-8 hours with exam-style walkthroughs.
Download from Last Minute Revision Notes or the All Chapters 2026 PDF.
Not adding excess reagent, forgetting to acidify before silver nitrate, misreading flame colours. Join our ATP solved guide.
⭐ Reviews from Cambridge Classroom Students
⏳ Stop Wasting Time on Disjointed YouTube Videos
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