Flame Test Lab Report, Essays (university) of Chemistry

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Beer’s Law Demonstrated Through the

Flame Test

By: Layla Anderson Chemistry 141 Lab January 12, 2025

Introduction: The flame test is a chemistry experiment and technique that is used to identify a metal ion within a compound. This is done by heating the compound with a Bunsen burner and observing the distinct color of the flame that it produces. This occurs because the metal ions absorb the energy from the heat and jump to higher energy levels (their excited state). Once they return to their ground state and release all their energy, a visible light is produced, which is the characteristic color of the flame. Purpose: The purpose of this lab was to reinforce the examination of wavelengths in photons discharged from atoms as they move from high energy to low energy, atomic emission. It is also used to visually determine the identity of an unknown metal ion. Hypothesis: I hypothesize that each compound will produce a different colored flame due to the different metal ions within them. Materials:

• Bunsen burner
• Lighter
• Gas
• Goggles
• Wire loops
• LiNO3, BaCl2, Cu(NO3)2, NaCl, KNO3, SrCl2, and an unknown mixture (provided by the professor) Procedure:
• First, prepare your lab by placing the goggles over your eyes, connecting the Bunsen burner to the gas, heating the Bunsen burner with the lighter, and put a few drops of the compound onto the wire loop.
• Then place one of the saturated wire loops on top of the Bunsen burner.
• Finally, observe the various colors that will appear based on the element that is listed.
• Remember to clean the wire loop by burning off all of the residue of the compound.
• Repeat these steps with every solution that is being tested.

Conclusion:

• Based on the experimental results, it is safe to conclude that various elements display different colors when exposed to a flame, and the presence of these colors is evidence of atomic emission. Also, there is a correlation between the wavelength of a particular element and the color it emits.
• The hypothesis is accepted. If the element is placed in the fire, then the color of the fire will change based on the element that was exposed to. This is because the wavelength of an element corresponds to the color that it produces.
• I can conclude that the unknown substance is most likely sodium because sodium produced the same flame color as the unknown substance did. Different metals produce different colored flames, so you can use the flame test to identify which metal ion is present in the compound.