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Niagara High School

Flame Test Lab

Determining Metallic Ions' Identity

Anne Nanninga
Mrs. Stockel
Chemistry
11 January 2019 Commented [1]: should be 10
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Purpose: To identify an unknown metallic ion by observing the the colors produced by the
different metallic ions when vaporized in a flame.

Abstract: Wood splints were soaked in different chloride solutions overnight. Each wood splint
was put into the bunsen burner flame individually. Each wood splint was seen through a
spectrometer, a cobalt glass, and human eye. Colors were recorded for each one. Unknown
solution # 4 was then tested. The color of that flame was recorded. The unknown solution was
determined to be Barium Chloride, since the resulting colors were exactly the same.

Hypothesis: If metallic ions are heated to high temperatures, then the color that results can be
used to identify the elements in the metallic ions.

Background Information:
Wavelength: The distance between corresponding parts of two adjacent waves.
Frequency: Number of waves that pass by a particular point in space in a given amount of time.
Ground State: Electrons are at lowest potential energy and are very stable.
Excited State: Electrons have received enough energy to jump to another energy level.
Quanta: A particular amount of energy.
Photon: Electromagnetic radiation emitted through little bundles.
Emission Spectra: When the electrons drops back down to ground state, give off energy, which
corresponds to the energy they absorbed.
Absorption Spectra:When an atom absorbs energy, its electrons will jump to higher energy levels
and certain colors will be missing from its spectra, appearing as black lines.
Energy: E = hv (6.626 x 10^-34J/s)
Frequency: c = λν (2.998 x 10^8 m/s)
(Raymond)
Materials:
● Wooden Splints
● Bunsen Burner
● Metal Chloride solutions (Metallic Ions)
● Spectrometer
● Waste Beaker with water
● Striker
● Cobalt Glass

Sketch:
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(Steinbrecher)

Procedure: Before the experiment could even be started different chloride solutions had to sit
overnight with wood splints in them (Stockel). The first step was to check and make sure the
bunsen burner had no wear or tear on its hose. As well as to make sure all the materials were at
the lab station that were needed. Then the bunsen burner was lit and adjusted so that its flame
was light blue in the middle. Next Individually each wooden splint was held in the light blue
flame of the bunsen burner. The colors were then recorded. This process was repeated for each
different chloride solution. A spectrometer was then used to look at the flame. The colors were
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then recorded. This process was repeated for each different chloride solution. Cobalt glass was
then used to look at the different flames. The colors were then recorded. This process was
repeated for each different chloride solution. Unknown Solution #4 was then tested. The color of
Unknown Solution #4 was recorded and determined to be the Barium Chloride solution, since
the flames colors were exactly the same.

Data:
Metal Ion Color of flame Color with cobalt Observations with
glass spectrometer

Calcium Chloride Orange Purple Orange

Copper Chloride Teal Neon Purple Green/Purple

Potassium Chloride Pink Neon Purple Red/Orange

Lithium Chloride Red Magenta Purple/Red

Barium Chloride Yellow Pink Purple/Green/Orange

Strontium Chloride Dark Red Pink/Magenta Orange

Unknown # 4 Yellow Pink Purple/Green/Orange

Representative Wavelength (nm) Wavelength Region (nm) Color

400nm 399-424 Violet

425nm 424-469 Indigo

470nm 469-489 Blue

490nm 489-549 Aqua

550nm 549-599 Green

600nm 599-629 Yellow

630nm 629-664 Orange

665nm 664-699 Red

700nm 699-750 Dark Red

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Analysis:
Approximated Wavelengths:
Calcium - 630 nm
Copper - 490 nm
Potassium - 645 nm
Lithium - 665 nm
Barium - 600 nm
Strontium - 700 nm
Unknown #4 - 600 nm
Equations used:
E=hv (h=6.626 x 10^-34 J/s)
c=λν (2.998 x 10^8 m/s)
Calculations: Frequencies
Calcium
2.998 x 10^8 m/s ÷ 6.30 x 10^-7 m = 4.758730159 x 10^14
v = 4.76 x 10^14 s^-1
Copper
2.998 x 10^8 m/s ÷ 4.90 x 10^-7 m = 6.118367347 x 10^14
v = 6.12 x 10^14 s^-1
Potassium
2.998 x 10^8 m/s ÷ 6.45 x 10^-7 m = 4.648062016 x 10^14
v = 4.65 x 10^14 s^-1
Lithium
2.998 x 10^8 m/s ÷ 6.65 x 10^-7 m = 4.508270677 x 10^14
v = 4.51 x 10^14 s^-1
Barium
2.998 x 10^8 m/s ÷ 6.00 x 10^-7 m = 4.996666667 x 10^14
v = 5.00 x 10^14 s^-1
Strontium
2.998 x 10^8 m/s ÷ 7.00 x 10^-7 m = 4.282857143 x 10^14
v = 4.28 x 10^14 s^-1
Calculations: Energies
Calcium
6.626 x 10^-34 J/s x 4.76 x 10^14 s ^-1 = 3.153976 x 10^-19
E = 3.15 x 10^-19 J
Copper
6.626 x 10^-34 J/s x 6.12 x 10^14 s^-1 = 4.055112 x 10^-19
E = 4.05 x 10^-19 J
Potassium
6.626 x 10^-34 J/s x 4.65 x 10^14 s^-1 = 3.08109 x 10^-19
E = 3.08 x 10^-19 J
Lithium
6.626 x 10^-34 J/s x 4.51 x 10^14 s^-1 =2.988326 x 10^-19
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E = 2.99 x 10^-19 J
Barium
6.626 x 10^-34 J/s x 5.00 x 10^14 s^-1 = 3.313 x 10^-19
E = 3.31 x 10^-19 J
Strontium
6.626 x 10^-34 J/s x 4.28 x 10^14 s^-1 =2.835928 x 10^-19
E = 2.84 x 10^-19 J
Metal Ion -1 Energy (J)
Frequency (s )

Calcium 4.76 x 10^14 s^-1 3.15 x 10^-19 J

Copper 6.12 x 10^14 s^-1 4.05 x 10^-19 J

Potassium 4.65 x 10^14 s^-1 3.08 x 10^-19 J

Lithium 4.51 x 10^14 s^-1 2.99 x 10^-19 J

Barium 5.00 x 10^14 s^-1 3.31 x 10^-19 J

Strontium 4.28 x 10^14 s^-1 2.84 x 10^-19 J

Discussion: The unknown metallic ion #4's metal is Barium Chloride. This is because both the
Unknown #4 and Barium emitted a yellow flame, meaning they have the same wavelength,
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which results in the same frequencies and energies. Barium had a yellow flame, therefore having
a wavelength of 600nm. Barium's frequency is 5.00 x 10^14 s^-1 and its energy is 3.31 x 10^-19
J, as is Unknown #4's frequency and energy. Some conflicts that could have arised in the data
may have been the fact that color can be perceived different to other people, some splints could
have been more saturated than others, and the flame's temperature could have changed. For
example, Strontium and Lithium were very close in color. Both seemed red, Strontium with more
darkness to it. Because of this, the wavelength used for Strontium was 700nm (the representative
wavelength of red region) and the wavelength used for Lithium was 665nm (the representative
wavelength of the pink region).The colors that help determine the identity of the metallic ions
result from the returning of excited electrons back down to their ground state. All of the energy
the excited electrons had gained is now lost through the emission of electromagnetic energy,
which we perceive as color. Each metallic ions electrons require a different amount of energy in
order to become excited. This difference in energy causes the different wavelengths, colors,
resulting from the release of that energy.

Works Cited

Steinbrecher, Brady. "Flame Test Lab Photos." 20 Dec. 2018. JPEG file. Accessed 26 Dec. 2018.
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Stockel, T.J. “Flame Test Lab.” Chemistry class handout. Niagara High School. Niagara, WI.

n.d.Print. Accessed 19 Dec. 2018.

Raymond, E. Davis, et al. Modern Chemistry. A Harcourt Education Company, 2006. Accessed

3 Dec. 2018.