Preview

Lab 20: Flame Tests

Powerful Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1252 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Lab 20: Flame Tests
Lab 20: Flame Tests
Purpose/Objective: The ground state is the normal electron configuration of atoms or ions in an element. When atoms or ions in ground state are heated to a higher temperature, some electrons absorb enough energy to move them to higher energy levels. This is known as the excited state. However, the excited configuration is unstable, and the electrons must return back to their positions in the lower energy level. As they return, the energy that was previously absorbed is now emitted in the form of electromagnetic energy. This energy can be displayed in the form of visible light. The main purpose/objective of this lab was to observe the characteristic colors produced by certain metallic ions when they are vaporized in a flame.
…show more content…
Which pairs of ions produce similar colors in the flame tests? How could two different ions produce similar colors?
-Na, K, and Ca all produced a shade of orange that was similar. Li and Sr both produced a shade of red. Ba produced more of a yellow orange, so if that was to fit in with a group, it would fit in with the Na, K, and the Ca.

3. Specifically explain how the colors in the flame tests are produced. You must include the following terms in your answer: energy, energy levels, electrons.
- The ground state is the normal electron configuration of atoms or ions in an element. When atoms or ions in ground state are heated to a higher temperature, some electrons absorb enough energy to move them to higher energy levels. This is known as the excited state. However, the excited configuration is unstable, and the electrons must return back to their positions in the lower energy level. As they return, the energy that was previously absorbed is now emitted in the form of electromagnetic energy. This energy can be displayed in the form of visible light.

Synthesis Questions:
1. How are fireworks and flame tests
…show more content…
When atoms or ions in ground state are heated to a higher temperature, some electrons absorb enough energy to move them to higher energy levels. This is known as the excited state. However, the excited configuration is unstable, and the electrons must return back to their positions in the lower energy level. As they return, the energy that was previously absorbed is now emitted in the form of electromagnetic energy. This energy can be displayed in the form of visible light. The main purpose/objective of this lab was to observe the characteristic colors produced by certain metallic ions when they are vaporized in a flame. Another main objective of this lab was identifying the unknown metallic ions by means of flame tests. In this lab, this is what was supposed to be

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Flame Tests Atomic Emission and Electron Energy Levels AES, or atomic emission spectroscopy, is a method which chemically analyzes the particular wavelength of a sample element to identify and determine the abundance of this certain element. The wavelength of the atomic spectral line unveils the identity of the element while the emitted light intensity is proportional to the number of atoms in the element. The flame test is also a very effective way to identify an individual element. The color of the flame can be described in terms of its wavelength and can be used to identify the element. Energy can be added to atoms in a variety of ways. When heat energy is added, the excited electrons in the atoms emit light while falling back to lower electron energy levels. The light given off has wavelengths and colors that are unique to the element and depend on the amount of energy originally absorbed. Usually, each excited atom will only emit one type, or color, of light. There is a normal tendency for the electrons to make a transition or drop back down to the ground state from these excited energy levels. The energy levels in atoms and ions are crucial to the production and the detection of light. These electrons move throughout the energy levels in atoms and molecules. The colors of the emitted light from these particles are dependent on these electron jumps between the shells. When an electron makes a transition from a higher energy level to a lower one, a photon, or particle of light, is produced and emitted. This process can happen in a single step emitting one photon…

    • 739 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Flame Test

    • 865 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Discussion Questions 1. Why do different metals have different characteristic flame test colours? The photons emitted during the test precisely match the quantum energy difference between the excited state and the ground state. For different elements the spacing between the ground state and the higher energy levels is different. So different elements have different flame test colours.…

    • 865 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Flame Test Lab

    • 328 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Conclusion: In conclusion, we discovered that every metal ion solution has a distinct emission spectrum. Low energy red was proven to be on the low energy side. While violet indicates high…

    • 328 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    Certain metal ions will turn the flame very distinctive colors; these colors in turn can help identify the presence of a particular metal in a compound. However, some colors are produced by several different metals, making it hard to determine the exact ion or concentration of the ion in the compound. Some colors are very weak and are easily overpowered by stronger colors. For instance, the presence of a potassium ion in a compound will color a flame violet. But on the other hand, even trace amounts of sodium ions in a compound produce a very strong yellow flame, often times making the potassium ion very difficult to detect. To counteract the effects of any sodium impurities, one can view the flame through a piece of cobalt blue glass. The cobalt glass absorbs the yellow light given off by sodium while letting most other wavelengths of light pass through.…

    • 982 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    Spectroscopy Lab Report

    • 1564 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Introduction: Every element and subsequent atom associated emits light; also know as electromagnetic radiation, when in an excited state. Analyzing this emitted light can give insight to the makeup and characteristics of them. The light given off by an energetically excited atom is not a continuous distribution of all possible wavelengths, but rather consists of a few wavelengths giving a series of discrete lines. Spectroscopy is the analysis of that emitted light and its dispersion into to it’s component wavelengths and colors.…

    • 1564 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    To summarize details in the experiment and how it is related to knowledge of atomic emission spectra, reviewing the steps in the lab is necessary. After viewing the incandescent and fluorescent spectrum, the gases and the colors emitted, the substances and the observations of the flames and spectrums were completed. For the first unknown gas, I concluded it was SrCl2, because the flame was bright orange and the spectrum was yellow with little red. For the second unknown, the conclusion was NaCl because the flame was orange and the spectrum was orange, green, and purple. After making these conclusions, the question was raised if two elements could have the same spectrum. The answer is no; each element has a series of ‘shells’ that contain the electrons. When an electron moves from higher to lower orbital’s it releases quanta of energy. Each transition is different. Two possible sources of error are looking at the spectrum incorrectly and putting the incorrect gas in the tube. Two possible improvements for the lab would be more trials of each gas or substance and getting more advanced devices to see the spectrums.…

    • 313 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Lab 3: Hydrogen Spectrum Abstract When white light is viewed through a diffraction grating, we can see each component that makes up the light. However, when in an excited state, a gaseous element produces bright light of specific wavelengths rather than a continuous spectrum of colors. This phenomenon ultimately lead to the Neils Bohr model of the atom in 1913.…

    • 707 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Electrons in atoms jump from their ground state to excited states by absorbing energy. Eventually, these electrons fall back to their ground state, re-emitting the absorbed energy in the form of light. Because each atom has a unique structure and arrangement of electrons, each atom emits a unique spectrum of light. The characteristic light is the basis for the chemical test known as a flame test. In this test, the atoms are excited by being placed within a flame. As they re-emit the absorbed energy in the form of light, the color of the flame changes. For most metals, these changes are easily visible. However, even the presence of a tiny speck of another substance can interfere with the identification of the true color of a particular atom.…

    • 1174 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Flame Test Lab

    • 738 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Flame Test Lab Period 2 Due: 10/19/11 Honors Chemistry Purpose/Objective: To observe the colors produced when elements are put into a flame and to prove when electrons jump down from higher layers they release energy in the form of light.…

    • 738 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Flame Color Lab

    • 721 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Investigate Flame Colors of Different Cations When they were heated by Fire. & Testing changes of cations using sodium hydroxide (NaOH) aqueous…

    • 721 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    What is the Chemical Basis of Colour in Fireworks? Abstract: The purpose of the first experiment was to see the light spectra of different elements, and confirm that each element shows unique emission spectra, in terms of being able to identify an unknown substance. The analysis is expected to show that elements do indeed have unique emission spectra, allowing elements to be identified by their emission spectra. After burning different chemicals under a Bunsen burner, the colourful light was observed through a light spectrum, giving a reading which was recorded. The chemicals all gave off different colours which, when observed through the light spectra, either had a continuous band or, single stripe. Judging by the matching colours and spectrum readings, it is clear that the unknown substance was calcium. The analysis showed that elements have unique emission spectra; this is significant as it allows elements to be identified by their emission spectra. The online experiment with photo-electric effects displayed the effect light intensity and frequency has when photons are bounced against sodium metal. The analysis is expected to show that electrons will dislodge from the metal when photons hit it, adjusting the intensity and light frequency will affect the quantity of electrons dislodging from the sodium metal. A number of questions were answered backing up the analysis which shows that increasing the intensity will cause more and more electrons to dislodge from the sodium metal. And longer frequencies of light tend to increase the amount of electrons.…

    • 1143 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Inorganic Chemistry

    • 5589 Words
    • 23 Pages

    8. All alkali metals are paramagnetic but their salts are diamagnetic. 9. Alkali metals impart characteristic colors to the flame, i.e., lithium imparts crimson red, sodium imparts golden yellow, potassium imparts pale violet while rubidium and caesium impart violet color to the flame. This is due to the fact that the atoms absorb energy from the flame and the electrons jump from lower orbit to higher orbit. However, since ionization enthalpies of the lower atoms of the group are higher, the jump is small and the energy (in the form of visible light) radiated when the electrons come back to their original positions were also small (i.e. with low frequencies). Since red color is of low frequency, we see red color for the lowest element of the group, i.e. lithium. Thereafter, the frequency of the emitted light for…

    • 5589 Words
    • 23 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Flame Lab

    • 505 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Hypothesis: We know that certain compounds will burn certain flame colors because they emit different wave lengths.…

    • 505 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    science of fireworks

    • 559 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Each element releases a different amount of energy and this energy is what determines the color or wavelength of the light that is emitted. For instance, when sodium nitrate is heated, electrons in the sodium atoms absorb the energy and get excited. When electrons come down from the high they release their energy, about 200 kilojoules per molecule, or the energy of yellow light. The recipe that creates blue includes varying amounts of copper chloride compounds and red comes from strontium and lithium salts. Like paints, secondary colors can be made by mixing the ingredients of their primary color relatives. A mixture of copper and strontium makes purple. Pure colors require pure ingredients. Careful formulation is required so that too much smoke or residue does not mask color. As with other things you get…

    • 559 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Chemistry Lab 1 4U

    • 542 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Purpose: The purpose of this experiment is to observe the colours produced when the solutions of metal ions are heated to high temperatures, then to explain the results in terms of the energy levels of the metal ions. Lastly, to use the flame colours to identify a series of unknowns.…

    • 542 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays