Flame Test Lab Name __________________________________

Date ______________ Period _______________

Introduction:
Atoms (really, the electrons in atoms) gain packets of energy, and use this energy to reach "excited
states." The packets of energy that different atoms pick up, have values that are unique to each
element. These packets are called "quantum" packets, or "quanta" (plural).

When an electron in an atom gains a packet of energy, equal to the difference between two energy
states of that electron, the electron absorbs that energy packet, and rises to that higher energy state - but only
for a very brief period of time. The "excited-state" electron very quickly re-emits that very same energy
packet it just absorbed (we see this energy packet as photons of a single color of light), and returns to the
"ground state" - its non-excited energy state.

In this lab, we will subject a series of metal ions (positively-charged metal atoms) to a flame test. The
purpose will be to use flame test results to identify an unknown metal ion. The metal ions we will test are:

sodium (Na+) barium (Ba+2) copper (Cu+2)

potassium (K+) strontium (Sr+2) an unknown sample
lithium (Li+) calcium (Ca+2)

In a flame test, the ions are provided energy via a Bunsen burner flame, and the most prominent
packet of energy (within the visible spectrum) absorbed by each atom is recorded visually. Remember, the
energy associated with the color released by the atom corresponds to the energy packet that atom absorbed.

In a Bunsen burner flame, all colors are available for the atoms to pick up - but each atom we will test
has a particular energy requirement for electron excitation. This is why flame tests results are analogous to
“atomic fingerprints."

Pre-Lab Questions: Read the entire lab and answer the following questions before doing the experiment.
1. What does a flame test indicate about the energy changes taking place among the electrons in a

metallic ion?
When an electron returns to its original energy level after becoming excited, it releases energy, and all
different elements give off different flame colors

(or)
Flame tests are a quick method of producing the characteristic colors of metallic ions. The loosely held
electrons of a metal are easily excited in the flame of a lab burner. The emission of energy in the visible
portion of the spectrum as those electrons return to lower energy levels produces a colored flame. The color
is a combination of the wavelengths of each transition, and may be used to determine the identity of the
metal.

http://lhsblogs.typepad.com/files/flame-tests.pdf
2. What wavelengths correspond to the visible spectrum? Which color has the shortest wavelength?

The longest?

If the wavelength of the released photon is between 400 and 700 nm, the energy is emitted as visible light.

Violet has the shortest wave length and Red has the longest wavelength.

Materials: Splints NaNO2 LiNO3 Sr(NO3)2

Bunsen Burner Ba(NO3)2 Ca(NO3)2 unknown sample
Cu(NO3)2 KNO3
Procedure:
GENERAL NOTE: Fill a 250 mL beaker half-way with tap water, and put the used splints into this beaker
after you burn them.

1. Put on goggles and safety apron. This lab will be performed moving from station to station.
2. Make sure the burner is lit and has a blue or almost clear flame.
3. Obtain a plain wood splint (not soaked with any ion) from your teacher, and burn it in the flame
long enough to identify the color it releases when the wood burns. Don't let the splint burn
uncontrolled! Put it into the beaker that is filled with tap water.
4. Pick up a splint that has been soaking in the ion and hold it in the flame. Burn the splint for about
5 seconds. Placed the used splint in the beaker filled with tap water.
5. Record the flame color in the Data Table. Eventually the splint will burn giving a characteristic
yellow color. Be sure you are recording the solution’s flame color.
6. Continue to all of the stations and repeat steps 3 and 4. Make sure to record the unknown sample
as well.
7. When all the groups have had the opportunity to observe all the different flame colors, the class
will be instructed to return equipment. Wash your hands before leaving the lab.

Data Table:

Salt Color (observations)

NaNO2
 Unknown Sample

Critical Thinking and Applications:

1. Identify the unknown sample.

2. Summarize the process that produces the colors seen in the flame test.
The atom starts in the ground state, we add energy to the atom with the bunsen burner. The
atom absorbs the energy and electrons jump to higher discrete energy levels. Electrons quickly
return to ground state, emitting a discrete amount of energy as a photon of light

Flame tests are a quick method of producing the characteristic colors of metallic ions (we will
talk more about ions later). The loosely held electrons of a metal are easily excited in the flame
of a lab burner. The emission of energy in the visible portion of the spectrum as those electrons
return to lower energy levels produces a colored flame. The color is a combination of the
wavelengths of each transition, and may be used to determine the identity of the metal.

 Electrons are absorbing energy from the flame, and then it releases that energy and the
color of the flame change.

3. What is the relationship between the colors you saw from the flame test and the lines on the
electromagnetic spectrum?
The colors we see were a combo of the lines of the visible spectrum produced by the
metals.
 More energy- blues and purples. Less energy- red and orange. Middle energy- yellow and
green

4. How do you think metallic salts are used in fireworks?

Metallic salts are used in fireworks to produce different colors of light. When metallic salts are
heated up, they absorb energy and their electrons reach higher, excited energy levels. When
the electrons return back to lower energy levels, they give off the energy absorbed as colored
light.
5. Explain why a metallic ion produces a characteristic color in a flame test, regardless of the
compound used as the source of the ion.

Only cation's/metal loosely held electrons we witness become excited, we are

witnessing the energy changes in the ion, doesn't matter what compound it is

As a metallic ion is heated in the flame test the valance electrons are excited or pushed to
higher energy levels. As the electrons get excites they tend to move back on to the stable shell.
while moving back to a stable shell it emits energy in the form of light which is what we see in
flame tests. Thus the metallic ion will emit its characteristic colour no matter what compound
it is from.That is, Cu2+ ion will always produce the brick red colour regardless of its
compound, because it is just the metallic ion that get excited or moved not the entire
compound.

Metals will produce the same color in a flame test regardless of the
salt used because a particular metal ion always has the same electron
configuration so electrons jump to an excited state and fall back to a
lower level in the same pattern every time they are heated.
6. Based on your results and observations, would this method be practical to determine metals in
a mixture? Explain.

The flame test would be useful for detecting metal ions in a mixture of metal ions because each
ion has its own elemental makeup. In the case that there are several metal ions, each would
be distinguishable by the separate colors that are produced in a flame test.Each element has a
"fingerprint" in terms of its line emission spectrum.

(or)

Flame test could be used to determine the identity of unknowns in a mixture, however it would
not be very effective. This is because if there are too many different compounds or elements, all
of the colors of light mixed together would bring the flame closer to just emitting white light

7. List the following ions in increasing order of the energy of the light emitted: Cu+2, Na+, Li+,
Ca+2

Conclusion (keep it short!)

In additional to the usual conclusion guidelines, briefly explain how a flame test can be used as an
identification tool for different ions. Be sure to discuss electrons and fingerprints in your answer.

Conclusion - Restate the purpose- explain whether or not purpose was met using info from data table,analysis, question sections.
Do not restate the procedure - Describe the results of the lab. Provide evidence to support your answer to the purpose.

Flame tests are useful because gas excitations produce a signature line emission spectrum for an element. In comparison,
incandescence produces a continuous band of light with a peak dependent on the temperature of the hot object.

When the atoms of a gas or vapor are excited, for instance by heating or by applying an electrical field, their electrons
are able to move from their ground state to higher energy levels. As they return to their ground state, following clearly
defined paths according to quantum probabilities, they emit photons of very specific energy. This energy corresponds to
particular wavelengths of light, and so produces particular colors of light. Each element has a "fingerprint" in terms of
its line emission spectrum. Because each element has an exactly defined line emission spectrum, scientists are able to
identify them by the color of flame they produce. For example, copper produces a blue flame, lithium and strontium a
red flame, calcium an orange flame, sodium a yellow flame, and barium a green flame.

http://www.webexhibits.org/causesofcolor/3BA.html