Flame Test Laboratory Report

LABORATORY REPORT
STEM 303
FLAME TEST
John Carlo A. Almero
October 3, 2019
Abstract:
The main component of this experiment is fire or flame. The students were tasked to determine the color of each
element and list them accordingly, it’s done by first dipping the head of the nichrome wire to a test tube that has
a pure concentration of hydrochloric acid, the students then pulled out the nichrome wire after 10 seconds and
used a lighter’s flame to test if the nichrome wire is clean and ready for use and if the students see a spark then it
needs to go back to the test tube that has a pure concentration of hydrochloric acid for 10 seconds.
Keywords: Flame, Test, Colors, Heating, Nichrome wire
Data and Results:

Table 1. Observed Flame Colors of Some Metals
Metal Ions Color of Metal Ions under the flame
NaCl Orange
KCl Pink
CuSO4 Green
ZnCl Blue, pink, red
SrCl2 Crimson Red
CaCl2 Orange, Red orange
BaCl Lilac/ pink
Unk 1 Pink
Unk 2 Pink
Potassium + Sodium Pink
Mixture of all Metal Ions Red, Orange, Green, Pink

Table 2. Observed Flame Colors of Some Metals with Blue Cellophane.
Metallic Ion in Compound Color of Flame
Unknown 1 Red
Unknown 2 Pink
Na+K Pink/Lilac
Mixture of all Metal Ions Red, Orange, Green, Pink
Guide Questions: the spectrum produced by sodium ions, which is

the same regardless to the source in which the ion
1. Why do you have to clean the nichrome wire
is found.
thoroughly by dipping it in concentrated
HCL and heating over a flame several times?
5. What is the purpose of the blue cellophane in
Answer: Because I think the nichrome wire has observing the flame emitted by the
some rust due to oxidation and it needs to be sodium potassium mixture?
cleansed so that the experiment will go smoothly.
Answer: The purpose of the blue cellophane is to
2. Why do atoms of certain elements give off
light of characteristic color when heated to a determine whether the color of the flame will change
high temperature? or stay the same.
Answer: According to Ernest Z., (2014), heating 6. How would you characterize the flame test
an atom excites its electrons and they jump to with respect to its sensitivity?
higher energy levels. When the electrons return Answer: the flame test shows different colors in the
to lower energy levels, they emit energy in the
each element when it is tested in respect to the naked
form of light.
eyes.
3. Based on the color of the flames emitted by
the known compounds, what could be the 7. What difficulties can be encountered in the
metallic ion present in each of the unknown use of the flame test identification?
solutions?
Answer: Burns, the student that conducts this
Answer: The ion present in the unknown
solutions are potassium ions because potassium experiment can receive burns if the procedure is not
ions is known for producing pink colors when set followed strictly.
aflame.
8. A student recorded the following results
4. Is flame coloration a test for the metallic ion when testing two unknowns. Identify the
or the chloride ion? Why does dry sodium unknowns by referring to your Data Table.
chloride and the solution nitrate or sodium
chloride all impart the same color to the Unknown #1 yellowish green
flame? Answer: CuSO4
Unknown #2 scarlet
Answer: Flame coloration test is for the metallic
Answer: CaCl2
ion. According to Dwight, (2018), you are seeing
9. Several of the flame tests were shades of red.
What should be done in the laboratory to
correctly identify one of these ions?
Answer: Do the flame test again but this time use a
blue cellophane and determine whether the color will
stay the same or change.
10. During a flood, the labels from three bottles

of chemicals floated away. The unlabeled
bottles of white solids were known to contain
the following: strontium nitrate, ammonium
carbonate, and potassium sulfate. Explain
how you could easily re-label these three
bottles.
Answer: They can be re-labeled when we use the

flame test in which we identify the color of the
chemical that is aflame and by knowing the color of
the chemical we can easily deduce the label of the
said chemical.
Conclusion:
The flame test is a tedious experiment that requires
precision and a strict reliance on the procedure. The
students discovered that each compound emits a
certain color when set aflame. Also the students
discovered that the hydrochloric should not be
inhaled
References:
Ernest Z., (2014), “Why do elements emit colors
when heated?”
Retrieved from: https://socratic.org/questions/why-
do-elements-emit-colors-when-heated
Dwight, (2018), “Why do dry sodium chloride and
the solutions of sodium nitrate and sodium chloride
all impart the same color to the flame?”
Retrieved from: https://socratic.org/questions/why-
do-dry-sodium-chloride-and-the-solutions-of-
sodium-nitrate-and-sodium-chlori
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LABORATORY REPORT

Data and Results:

Metal Ions Color of Metal Ions under the flame

ZnCl Blue, pink, red

SrCl2 Crimson Red

CaCl2 Orange, Red orange

BaCl Lilac/ pink

Potassium + Sodium Pink

Mixture of all Metal Ions Red, Orange, Green, Pink

Metallic Ion in Compound Color of Flame

Mixture of all Metal Ions Red, Orange, Green, Pink

Guide Questions: the spectrum produced by sodium ions, which is

10. During a flood, the labels from three bottles

Answer: They can be re-labeled when we use the

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