IB Chemistry

Experiment 4: Flame Tests

Name ………………………………………………………..

Spectroscope. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES must you look through this at the sun.If
you do so, your eyes may be permanently damaged.

Bunsen burners. Eye protection must be worn whenever using the burners.

Introduction:
Certain substances, on heating in a Bunsen flame, cause flames of characteristic colours. The
colour of light varies from substance to substance because of the different electronic
configuration.

The heat from the Bunsen burner will cause the ions of some elements to give out light.
Electrons will absorb the thermal energy from the flame and be “excited” to a higher energy
level. When the electrons return to their original energy level, this absorbed energy is
released as light.

Different elements absorb and release different amounts of energy, and thus produce
different kinds of light. This light can be visible or invisible – infrared or ultra-violet.
Analysis of this light can be used to identify the elements and molecules.

In this experiment, we will observe the visible light of some metal chloride compounds.

Objectives:
1. Perform a flame test to identify the characteristic colour of the flame produced by
metal ions.
2. Identify the metal ion in the unknown solution.
3. Calculate the energy of the emitted photons based on the observed colour (HL only).

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Procedure:
1. A Bunsen burner will be set up at an angle in the stand (see diagram).

stand spectroscope

nichrome wire

Bunsen burner
tongs
clamped at an angle

2. Take a sample jar of one of the substances and put a small amount of the substance
on a watch glass and add a few drops of the dilute hydrochloric acid onto the
substance. Hold a clean loop of wire by the end without the loop. Using the loop of
wire, pick up a little of the paste. Then hold the loop and paste in the flame (it must
be a blue flame). Record the colour you observed in the table.

3. One of the samples has a handheld spectroscope by it. When heating this sample
look at the flame colour through the spectroscope. Take it in turns, one to hold the
wire and the other to hold the spectroscope and look through it from about 30 cm
away. The partner holding the spectroscope need not wear safety glasses - BUT
TAKE CARE! Again record what you see.

Results:

Data table 1:

Flame colour without Observations through

Substance Chemical formula
spectroscope spectroscope

barium chloride
BaCl2.2H2O apple/pale green distinct colored lines
dihydrate

calcium chloride
CaCl2.2H2O orange-red distinct colored lines
dihydrate

copper(I) chloride CuCl blue distinct colored lines

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Flame colour without Observations through

Substance Chemical formula
spectroscope spectroscope

copper(II) chloride
CuCl2.2H2O green distinct colored lines
dihydrate

lithium chloride LiCl red distinct colored lines

colorless
magnesium chloride
MgCl2.2H2O (hence, normal flame distinct colored lines
dihydrate
color observed)

potassium chloride KCl lilac distinct colored lines

sodium chloride NaCl yellow-orange distinct colored lines

strontium chloride SrCl2 red distinct colored lines

Unknown X K+ lilac distinct colored lines

Data table 2 (HL only):

Use data table 1 to record the approximate wavelength of light emitted for any 4 different
metal ions with different coloured flames in data table 2 by referring to the colour wheel
below.

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!"
Use the equation: ΔE = , to calculate the change in energy, ΔE for each metal ion.
#

Perform calculations for the 4 chosen metal ions. Show one sample calculation.

Metal/colour of
Wavelength (nm) Wavelength (m) ∆E (J)
flame
$%$&$'(
Cu+/blue = 458 4.58 x 10-7 4.34 x 10-33
%

$'(&)*)
Ba2+/green %
= 533 5.33 x 10-7 3.73 x 10-33

)*)&+$*
Na+/yellow-orange = 611 6.11 x 10-7 3.26 x 10-33
%

+$*&*,,
Li+/red %
= 674 6.74 x 10-7 2.95 x 10-33

N.B. Four different colours of the visible spectrum are chosen above. The average of the wavelength
range of each colour is used.

Sample calculation:

!"
ΔE = #

+.+. × (,-34 × ..,, × (,8

ΔE = $.)1 × (,-7
= 4.34 x 10-33 J

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Discussion:
1. What is the purpose of heating the substance in the flame before the colour of the
light is observed?

Heating the substance provides energy to the electrons in the atoms of the substance. This
energy allows the electrons to move to higher energy levels

When the electrons return to their original energy levels from these excited states, they
release the excess energy in the form of light. Each element emits light at specific
wavelengths characteristic of its electronic structure.

Heating the substance also ensures that enough atoms are excited to emit visible light.
Without heating, the emission may be too weak or negligible to observe.

Overall, heating the substance in the flame is essential for inducing the excitation of
electrons, which in turn leads to the emission of characteristic light, enabling the
identification of the elements present based on their unique flame colors.

2. Do you think we can use the flame test to determine the identity of the unknowns in
a mixture? Why and why not?

Using the flame test to determine the identity of unknowns in a mixture can be challenging
and may not always yield accurate results.

In a mixture, multiple elements may be present. Each element emits characteristic colours
when heated in a flame. If multiple elements are present, their colours might overlap or
interfere with each other, making it difficult to identify individual elements accurately.

The intensity of flame colours can vary depending on factors such as concentration and
purity of the elements, as well as the temperature of the flame. This variability can make it
challenging to distinguish between different elements, especially if they emit similar colours.

The flame test may not be sensitive enough to detect trace amounts of elements in a mixture.
If the concentration of an element is too low, its flame colour may not be observable or may
be masked by the flame colours of other, more dominant elements.

The flame test provides preliminary information about the possible presence of certain
elements based on observed flame colours. However, confirmation through additional
analytical techniques, such as spectroscopy or chemical tests, is usually necessary to
accurately identify unknowns in a mixture.

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3. What are some of the limitations of using the flame test to identify ions present in the
solution?

The flame test is primarily useful for identifying metal ions that produce characteristic flame
colours. However, not all elements exhibit easily observable flame colours.

In a solution containing multiple ions, the flame colours of different ions may overlap or
interfere with each other, making it difficult to identify individual ions accurately.

The flame test may not be sensitive enough to detect trace amounts of ions in a solution. If
the concentration of an ion is too low, its flame colour may not be observable or may be
masked by the flame colours of other, more dominant ions.

4. Suggest one possible method to improve the accuracy of the result in this
experiment.

One possible method to improve the accuracy of the results in a flame test experiment is to
use a spectrophotometer or a colorimeter. These instruments measure the absorbance or
transmittance of light at specific wavelengths, allowing for quantitative analysis of the
emitted light during the flame test.

Rather than relying solely on visual observation, these instruments provide numerical data
that can be used to quantify the intensity and wavelength of the emitted light. This
quantitative approach reduces subjectivity and improves the accuracy of the analysis.

Spectrophotometers and colorimeters allow for the standardization of measurement

conditions, such as the distance between the flame and the detector, the type of flame used,
and the duration of the measurement. This standardization reduces variability and enhances
the reproducibility of results.