This document lists common inorganic salts and compounds and their colors. It includes the colors of salts containing potassium, iron, copper, lead, mercury, silver, sodium, calcium, magnesium and zinc. Potassium dichromate is orange, potassium permanganate is violet, and ferrous sulfate is green. Most lead, mercury and silver salts are white, except for those specifically listed such as red lead, mercuric sulfide, and silver iodide. All sodium, calcium, magnesium and zinc salts are white in color.

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Colours of some common salts / compounds
Salts / Compounds Colour
Potassium dichromate, K2
Cr2
O7
Orange
Potassium permanganate, KMnO4
Violet
Friferric tetraoxide, Fe3
O4
Black
Ferrous sulphate, FeSO4
.7H2
O Green
Ferric sulphate, Fe(SO4
)3
Yellow
Ferric hydroxide, Fe(OH)2
Green
Ferrous hydroxide, Fe(OH)3
Orange or reddish brown
Ferrous chloride, FeCl2
Yellow
Ferric chloride, FeCl3
Reddish brown
Iron (II) carbonate, FeCO3
Brown
Iron (III) nitrate, Fe(NO3
)3
Red
Iron (II) sulphide, FeS Black
Iron (III) sulphide, Fe2
S3
Black
Copper carbonate, CuCO3
Green
Copper nitrate, Cu(NO3
)2
Bluish green
Copper sulphate, CuSO4
.5H2
O Blue
Anhydrous copper sulphate, CuSO4
White
Copper sulphide, CuS Black
Copper chloride, CuCl2
Yellow
Copper (II) oxide, CuO Black
Copper (I) oxide, Cu2
O Red
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Copper hydroxide, Cu(OH)2
Blue
Red lead, Pb3
O4
Red or orange red
Lead iodide, PbI2
Yellow
Lead sulphide, PbS Black
Lead (II) oxide, PbO Yellow
Lead (IV) oxide, PbO2
Chocolate brown
Mercuric sulphide, HgS Black or red
Mercuric oxide, HgO Orange red
Silver iodide, AgI Yellow
Silver sulphide, Ag2
S Black
Silver bromide, AgBr Yellow
All sodium, calcium, magnesium and zinc salts are white in colour.
All other lead, mercury and silver salts (except those mentioned) are white in colour.
Silver oxide, Ag2
O Brown
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