Laboratory Report : Flame Colors of Metals
Laboratory Report: Flame Colors of Metals
Abstract
The experiment about flame color of metals demonstrates how electrons jump into their excitedstate from their ground state as it came in contact with heat. As it return to its lower energy state,it emits the absorbed energy in the form of light. A platinum or nichrome wire was dipped into aconcentrated HCL and was heated to clean it. The wire was dipped into different salt solutionsand heated in order to determine the metallic ion’s color and wavelength. Metal ions emitting aviolet-colored flame has the largest amount of energy while those that emit red-colored flamehave the least amount of energy.
Introduction
An atom is the smallest particle of an element, which can exist and still have theproperties of the elementElectrons determine the chemical properties of atoms.
The electrons in an atom exist inlayers called shells or energy levels. The negatively charged particles of an electron are kept inorbit in the energy levels. Normally, atoms do not emit radiation but there are ways of causingradiation to be emitted. The simplest of these is to heat the atoms. When an atom is heated, itabsorbs energy causing its electrons to get excited to positions of higher potential energy farther away from the nucleus. At this state, the atom becomes unstable. When an electron goes back toits ground state, it radiates the absorbed energy in the form of light, which has a characteristicwavelength. This is the basis of the flame test used to identify the element. The quantity of energyabsorbed will account for the presence of a spectral line. The emission spectrum may be used todetect the presence of an element in both qualitative and quantitative way. Elements may oftenbe recognized by the color they impart to a flame.
Materials And Methods
A platinum or nichrome wire was dipped into a concentrated HCL. The wire was heatedinto the flames hottest region until there was no visible color. The cleaning procedure
Abstract
The experiment about flame color of metals demonstrates how electrons jump into their excitedstate from their ground state as it came in contact with heat. As it return to its lower energy state,it emits the absorbed energy in the form of light. A platinum or nichrome wire was dipped into aconcentrated HCL and was heated to clean it. The wire was dipped into different salt solutionsand heated in order to determine the metallic ion’s color and wavelength. Metal ions emitting aviolet-colored flame has the largest amount of energy while those that emit red-colored flamehave the least amount of energy.
Introduction
An atom is the smallest particle of an element, which can exist and still have theproperties of the elementElectrons determine the chemical properties of atoms.
The electrons in an atom exist inlayers called shells or energy levels. The negatively charged particles of an electron are kept inorbit in the energy levels. Normally, atoms do not emit radiation but there are ways of causingradiation to be emitted. The simplest of these is to heat the atoms. When an atom is heated, itabsorbs energy causing its electrons to get excited to positions of higher potential energy farther away from the nucleus. At this state, the atom becomes unstable. When an electron goes back toits ground state, it radiates the absorbed energy in the form of light, which has a characteristicwavelength. This is the basis of the flame test used to identify the element. The quantity of energyabsorbed will account for the presence of a spectral line. The emission spectrum may be used todetect the presence of an element in both qualitative and quantitative way. Elements may oftenbe recognized by the color they impart to a flame.
Materials And Methods
A platinum or nichrome wire was dipped into a concentrated HCL. The wire was heatedinto the flames hottest region until there was no visible color. The cleaning procedure