Additional Information
Chemical group analysis is a process by which the metal element in a compound can be determined. The analysis is based on the solubility of different chemical compounds. To assist students with this Activity the table below shows groups of some common metals.
| Group 1 | Group 2 | Group 3 | Group 4 | Group 5 | Group 6 |
| lead | tin | iron | manganese | barium | magnesium |
For each group the solubility of some compounds containing metals is provided below:
Group 1: chlorides are insoluble
Group 2: sulfides are insoluble in acidic solution
Group 3: hydroxides are insoluble
Group 4: sulfides are insoluble in alkaline solution
Group 5: carbonates are insoluble
Group 6: magnesium phosphate is insoluble, sodium and potassium identified by flame test
Reference: Shadwick and Barlow Science in Perspective 3, p201-202