How to easily distinguish salts physically? Edit I have basically 12 salts to identify in exams. They are ***


  Ammonium Carbonate, Ammonium Sulphate, Ammonium chloride, Aluminium
  Nitrate , Aluminium Sulphate, Barium chloride, Calcium Carbonate,
  Magnesium Carbonate, Magnesium Sulphate, Lead Nitrate, Zinc Sulphide,
  Zinc Sulphate


***. I will be given one of them. I know all the tests I have to undertake to identify these salts (such as ash test, flame test, sodium carbonate extract tests etc). But I would like to know if there is any quick way to easily identify my salt on looking it or some easy tests so that I get a leverage over time and could finish my tests easier. I would like to know ASAP, as I have my exams tomorrow.

Thanks in advance
Draw a matrix of cations vs anions, mark the possible combinations, and calculate the probabilities.

The chances are 4/12 for a sulphate, 3/12 for a carbonate, etc.

I wouldn't start testing for sulphides ;-)