Editing Qualitative inorganic analysis (section)

{{short description|Analytical method used to investigate elemental composition of inorganic compounds}}
Classical '''qualitative inorganic analysis''' is a method of [[analytical chemistry]] which seeks to find the [[chemical element|elemental]] composition of [[inorganic compound]]s. It is mainly focused on detecting [[ion]]s in an [[water|aqueous]] [[Solution (chemistry)|solution]], therefore materials in other forms may need to be brought to this state before using standard methods. The solution is then treated with various [[reagent]]s to test for [[chemical reaction|reactions]] characteristic of certain ions, which may cause color change, [[precipitation (chemistry)|precipitation]] and other visible changes.<ref name=King>{{cite book|first1=Edward J.|last1=King|first2=Larkin H.|last2=Farinholt|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zikLAAAAIAAJ|title=Qualitative Analysis and Electrolytic Solutions|year=1959|publisher=Harcourt, Brace|oclc=594863676|location=New York}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Vogel|first1=A. I.|last2=Svehla|first2=G.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MpPenWMDPd0C|title=Vogel's Qualitative Inorganic Analysis|date=1996|publisher=Longman|location=Harlow, England (1996); New Delhi, India (2008)|isbn=9788177582321|oclc=792729931}}</ref>

Qualitative inorganic analysis is that branch or method of analytical chemistry which seeks to establish the elemental composition of inorganic compounds through various reagents.