Belair High School

Subject: CAPE Chemistry Unit 1

Name: ___Abbyshay GAYLE_____________________
Date: ___/___/___ Lab No. 14 All You Need to Know!
Lab Write-up Sheet
Module: 2 Qualitative Analysis – Flame Test Skills tested:
ORR, A&I

Theory:

When an electron becomes excited, it will jump to a higher energy level. As the excited electron
returns to its ground state, it gives off energy, often in the form of visible light. As in all cases
where electrons become excited, the flame will only produce color for a few seconds at most.
Many elements produce flames of a characteristic color when they come in contact with the
flame of the burner. Using this method, scientists can determine some elements of an unknown
mixture or solution. The flame test is made by dipping a nickel- chromium wire into a slurry of
the salt, heating it in a flame, and noting the distinctive color of the flame produced by the
vaporized salt.

Aim: To identify selected cations present in samples provided using the flame test
Materials: splint, Bunsen burner, matches
Procedure:
1. A nichrome wire was dipped in a concentrated hydrochloric acid. It was heated in a
roaring Bunsen burner until it no longer gave colour to the flame. The wire was now
cleaned.
2. A little of Barium chloride was mixed with concentrated hydrochloric acid on a watch
glass, the wire was moistened with this solution and the wire was held in the Bunsen
burner.
3. The wire was cleaned thoroughly again and the test was repeated with the other salts.
4. When the identification of known ions was successfully completed. It was proceeded to
identify the unknowns. On the other side counter, five unknowns were found. Each salt
had a positive ion that could be identified using a flame test.
5.

RESULTS
Results of the flame tests
Ion tested Name of salt used Color of Flame and Notes
Na+ sodium chloride Ayelloow golden flame was
formed in the flame test. The
ionization enthalpy of sodium
is low . Therefore,
when sodium metal or its salt
is heated in Bunsen flame, its
 valence shell electron is excited
to higher energy levels of
absorption of energy . ...
Therefore , sodium gives yellow
colour to the flame
Ca2+ calcium sulphate When placed over the flame test
calcium sulphate gave off a
orange red colour. Metal salts
introduced into a flame give off
light characteristic of the metal.
Metal ions combine with
electrons in the flame and the
metal atoms are raised to
excited states because of the
high flame temperature.
Cu2+ copper (II) nitrate When hcl was added to copper
it turned an aqua light blue
colour. This is because when the
metal copper is burned, it makes
bluish-green light. If an atom's
electrons lose energy, they drop
down to a lower energy level,
and the lost energy can be
released as light.
Ba2+ barium chloride When added to water barium
produced an apple green color.
This  indicates the presence of
copper. As copper heats up, it
absorbs energy that's manifested
in the form of a green flame.
K+ potassium permanganate When added to HCL it obtained
a lilac pink color. The white
smoke-like vapor produced by
the reaction is a mixture of
carbon dioxide gas and water
vapor. Since the
reaction is highly exothermic,
initial sparking occurs, followed
by a lilac- or pink-colored flame
Mg2+ magnesium chloride A white light was obtained from
magnesium chloride. When
the magnesium metal burns it
reacts with oxygen found in the
air to
form Magnesium Oxide. ...
After it burns, it forms
 a white powder of
the magnesium oxide
Tests on the unknowns

Unknown # Color of flame observed Positive ion in the salt

A Cu2+ Light blue cation
B Mg2+ White light cation
+ Golden yellow cation
C Na
2+ Apple green cation
D Ba
2+ Orange red Metal cation
E Ca

Questions:
1. Why do certain metal ions give flame colors in this way? The exact sizes of the possible
jumps in energy terms vary from one metal to another. That means that each different
metal will have a different pattern of spectral lines, and so a different flame color.
2. Magnesium did not produce any colour in flame test.
Generally the colour of flame of alkaline metals are due to the reason that electrons are excited to
higher energy levels and when they drop back to the ground state, magnesium are too strongly
bound it cannot get excited by flame.
Conclusion: Sample A contained ___cation____; Sample B contained ___anion_____....

Precautions:

1. It was ensured that the wire was cleaned in between each test
2. The Bunsen flame was carefully monitored at all times

Limitations

If the test tubes containing the samples were not thoroughly cleaned, this may have resulted in
contamination leading to inaccurate results.