CH182: LABORATORY SESSION 1 - FLAME TESTS

Introduction

Compounds of certain metals are volatilised in the non-roaring and non-luminous Bunsen
flame and impart characteristic colours to the flame. The electrons of an atom exist only in
discrete energy levels and these energy levels are quantized. Normally the electrons are in
the lowest energy state, shown as the ground electronic state or ground state.

If sufficient energy is added, for example, by heating in a flame or by electrical means, an

electron can be raised to higher energy level. This electron is said to be in an excited
electronic state or excited state.

E
M oground state
M *excited state (M is a metal)

Only the most loosely bound electrons could be excited by heating. An electron in these
excited energy states loses its energy by emitting electromagnetic radiation (light),
corresponding to the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum and returning towards the
ground state. Since there are only a limited number of discrete energy states, there are only a
limited number of possible energy transitions. Energy is related to frequency and therefore to
wavelength. So, only a limited number of wavelengths are possible in the emission spectrum.
Since the electrons can exist only in discrete energy levels, and these are different for each
element, the wavelengths of the emitted light are characteristics of the element.

The outer electrons of the metallic elements are excited much more easily than those of non-
metals. At low energies provided by a flame, only the most easily excited atoms get excited.
For example, alkali metals (Group 1) and alkaline earth metals (Group 2) emit their
characteristic wavelengths strongly enough. Consider the different steps occurring in the
flame that lead to the emission of radiation by calcium chloride.

CaCl2 (solution) CaCl2 (solid) CaCl2 (gas) Cao + 2 Clo

E
Ca oground state
Ca *excited state Ca oground state + h (photon)

The chlorides are amongst the most volatile compounds and they are prepared in situ by
mixing the compound with a little concentrated hydrochloric acid.

Experiment 1

1. Adjust the gas and air supplies to the Bunsen burner to produce non-luminous flame.
2. Cleaning of (platinum or nichrome) wire: The (platinum or nichrome) wire should be
dipped into clean concentrated hydrochloric acid and then placed in the roaring
Bunsen flame and heated.
3. This procedure is repeated until it does not colour the flame.

Materials required: Salts of lithium, sodium, potassium, calcium, strontium and barium,
concentrated hydrochloric acid.

1
Procedure:

1. Place a small amount of sodium salt on a spot test plate (or a watch glass).
2. Add 5 drops of concentrated hydrochloric acid to the salt.
3. Mix well.
4. Dip the (platinum) wire into this mixture.
5. Heat the wire in the flame and record your observations. The colour is most
important.
6. Clean the wire.
7. Repeat this procedure with the other five salts.

Experiment 2

Each group will collect two unknown (numbered) samples. The sample numbers must be
recorded on the record sheet without fail.

Procedure:

1. Repeat the procedure using the hydrochloric acid and record the colour imparted to
the flame.
2. Identify the unknowns by comparing the results with the known compounds carried
out in experiment 1.

2
 REPORT SHEET LAB 1 FLAME TESTS

Name : ________________________________________
Department : ________________________________________
Partners names : ________________________________________
Group no. (if any) : ________________________________________

Experiment 1:

No. Element Observations

1 Na

2 Li

3 K

4 Ca

5 Sr

6 Ba

Experiment 2:

Unknown No. Observations Element Reasons

3
Questions:

1. What must be done to an atom before it can emit light? Explain your answer.

2. Explain why elements only emit a small number of wavelengths.

3. Which elements may be excited using a Bunsen burner flame?

4. Give the equation(s) that relate energy, frequency, wavelength and wavenumber.