Jacqueline Hyslop, Lauren Rustin, and Victoria Salerno

Flame Tests Lab

Purpose: To identify a series of chemicals by testing their visible light on the Electromagnetic
Spectrum.

Data Table:
Metal Ion Color of Flame

Calcium Hot Orange

Copper Hot/Neon Green

Lithium Hot/Neon Pink (brighter than Strontium)

Sodium Bright/Light Orange

Potassium Dusty Rose

Strontium Hot Red/Pink

Barium Yellow/Orange

Results Table:
Metal/Flame Color 𝛌 (nm) △ ​
𝛌 (m) E (J)

Calcium 630 nm 6.3x10​11​m 3.153x10​-37

Copper 550 nm 5.5x10​11​m 3.612x10​-37

Lithium 650 nm 6.5x10​11​m 3.056x10​-37

Sodium 640 nm 6.4x10​11​m 3.104x10​-37

Potassium 400 nm 4x10​11​m 4.966x10​-37

Strontium 670 nm 6.7x10​11​m 2.965x10​-37

Barium 615 nm 6.15​11​m 3.230x10​-37

Unknown Metal: Potassium (#9)

 Post-Lab Questions:
1. Sample Estimate: Copper emitted a very bright green, so its visible light would be
between 500 nm and 560 nm. Due to its intensity, we estimated it to be about 550 nm.
​ ​
​ ​ Calculation: ​630nm (1m/1x109nm) = 6.3x1011m
2. Sample
​ ​
​ ​ 3. Sample
​ ​ Calculation:​
​ 6.626x10-34•2.998x108 / 6.3x1011 = 3.153x10-15
4. Each metal’s flame emitted a different color. Therefore, the color characteristic was
caused by the metal ion in each compound. To confirm that the color is due to the metal
ion, there would have to be a test to compare two compounds with similar characteristics
(or two elements in the same group) and see if the colors differ.
5. The metal ion that predominated in the glass rod was Sodium Nitrate because the flame
omitted a yellow color.
6. Cesium would most likely emit a light blue color, while Rubidium would most likely
emit a darker red color.