Flame Tests

Introduction

Description: Small amounts of different salts are burned in the flame of a Bunsen burner.
Sodium burns orange, potassium - purple/blue, barium - green, and lithium - red.
Concept: When an element is burned, the electrons will be excited. Then as these electrons fall
back from one energy level to another, they will emit photons of light. These photons will have
different colors depending on the element and its discrete energy levels. That is, different
wavelengths of light (colors) will be emitted when the electrons of different elements go down
the step(s) between their energy level(s). Each element will have its own set of steps, therefore
each will have its own color or set of colors.
Materials:
Sodium Chloride (orange)
Potassium Chloride (purple/blue)
Lithium Chloride (red)
Barium Chloride (green)
water
Metal wire with loop (nichrome wire)
Bunsen burner
Safety: Barium is a toxic metal. Wear goggles and gloves. Be sure to have the gas turned off if
you use a Bunsen burner.
Procedure

Select the Metal wire menu option from the equipment menu.
Add small amount of water to the wire loop
Select the metal wire and use the water button (press once) or menu option. In an actual
lab the wet loop will help in picking up the salt
Add a small quantity of the salt, 1 gram using the All Chemical menu option.
Hold the salt in the flame and burn to show color (record the color).
Do the same for all salts, being sure to use a different metal wire for each.
Also be careful not to drop any salt onto the Bunsen burner.
Clean-up: Be sure to turn the gas off if you use a Bunsen burner. Wash wire loops well to ensure
all salt is removed. Clean off any salt that might have dropped onto the Bunsen burner or
propane torch.
Observations
Color of NaCl flame: Orange
Color of KCl flame: Purple
Color of LiCl flame: Red
Color of BaCl2 flame: Green

Why do different compounds have different colors in their visible emissions?

They give of different colors in their emissions because of the amount of electrons in their outer
shell. Emissions are related to the energy level of the electrons. Red is the lowest and purple is
the highest.

Would you expect the emissions to vary if metal fluorides were used rather than metal
chlorides?
There is no difference in the emissions if metal fluorides were used instead of metal chlorides.
This is because the valence electrons on the metals are responsible for taking or releasing energy
in the form of light or heat.