Flame Test Lab
Timothy Johns
Christian Howard Wan Huang
10/18/12
Flame Test Lab
Introduction
Spectroscopy is the study of the electromagnetic radiation emitted or absorbed by atoms and molecules. These studies are very helpful in determining an unknown element, given the fact that all elements burn a different color. The flame colors vary because of the different amounts of energy the elements give off. This lab is made for the learner to determine the identity of two unknown elements.
Hypothesis
If the color of one of the unknown elements is the same as one of the known elements, then they are the same element.
Materials
* Samples of the following metallic salts * calcium chloride * copper chloride * iron chloride * lithium chloride * potassium chloride * sodium chloride * strontium chloride * unknown 1 * unknown 2 * Bunsen burner and accessories * Safety goggles * Lab apron * Splints soaked overnight in distilled water * 250 mL. beaker full of distilled water * Popsicle sticks
Procedures 1. Place the end of one of the Popsicle sticks soaked in a solution into the flame from the Bunsen burner. Note color(s) of the flame and the duration of the color. Immerse the Popsicle stick into the distilled water to fully extinguish it, and then discard it into the trash. 2. Repeat step 1 for each of the remaining salts 3. Repeat step 1 for each of the unknown metals and predict the identity of the unknown metals. Repeat any of the known metals to help with this prediction.
Observations
The salts all burned different colors and all burned for at least ten seconds. The elements with that burned a color with a high energy level on the electromagnetic spectrum burned the longest. The first unknown burned the same color as the strontium chloride so we determined that they were the same element. The second unknown burned the same color as copper chloride so we determined that they were the same
Christian Howard Wan Huang
10/18/12
Flame Test Lab
Introduction
Spectroscopy is the study of the electromagnetic radiation emitted or absorbed by atoms and molecules. These studies are very helpful in determining an unknown element, given the fact that all elements burn a different color. The flame colors vary because of the different amounts of energy the elements give off. This lab is made for the learner to determine the identity of two unknown elements.
Hypothesis
If the color of one of the unknown elements is the same as one of the known elements, then they are the same element.
Materials
* Samples of the following metallic salts * calcium chloride * copper chloride * iron chloride * lithium chloride * potassium chloride * sodium chloride * strontium chloride * unknown 1 * unknown 2 * Bunsen burner and accessories * Safety goggles * Lab apron * Splints soaked overnight in distilled water * 250 mL. beaker full of distilled water * Popsicle sticks
Procedures 1. Place the end of one of the Popsicle sticks soaked in a solution into the flame from the Bunsen burner. Note color(s) of the flame and the duration of the color. Immerse the Popsicle stick into the distilled water to fully extinguish it, and then discard it into the trash. 2. Repeat step 1 for each of the remaining salts 3. Repeat step 1 for each of the unknown metals and predict the identity of the unknown metals. Repeat any of the known metals to help with this prediction.
Observations
The salts all burned different colors and all burned for at least ten seconds. The elements with that burned a color with a high energy level on the electromagnetic spectrum burned the longest. The first unknown burned the same color as the strontium chloride so we determined that they were the same element. The second unknown burned the same color as copper chloride so we determined that they were the same