Flame Lab

Jules Lee
Juwan Sebastian
Purpose: To observe the flame colors of different samples. The excitation of electrons release
energy as light, thus creating a unique identity for each sample combusted. After, an electron
configuration will be written.

Procedure:
1. Prepare elements, bunsen burner and a beaker of water.
2. Turn on the gas and then light bunsen burner
3. Take a wooden stick and scoop a small amount of the element
4. Put it over the flame and watch as it turns in color, record the results.
5. Look at the flame through the cobalt glass, record results.
6. Repeat the steps 3, 4 and 5 for the remaining compounds
Data:
Compound Flame Color (no Co glass) Flame Color (with Co glass)

Sodium Nitrate orange blue

Sodium Chloride orange blue

Lithium Nitrate red pink

Lead II Nitrate white white

Strontium Nitrate orange pink

Calcium Nitrate purple blue

Barium Nitrate yellow white

Potassium Nitrate pink pink

Potassium/Sodium Nitrate orange pink

Mixture

Copper II Chloride green blue

Unknown #1 yellow blue

Unknown #2 green white

Questions:
1. The flame color produced by the potassium/sodium nitrate mixture was orange. Through the
cobalt glass, the color of the mixture was pink.

2. Unknown Substance #1 is Barium.

 Unknown Substance #2 is Copper

3. Different colored fireworks occur because different elements inside the fireworks burn to
create various colors.

4. During a flame test, electrons in an element become excited because of the flame. The
electrons jump from one energy level to another, and then come back down to another level.
When the electron returns to a lower level, energy is released, causing the different colors seen in
the lab.

5. It tests for the metal (sodium) component of the compound.

6.

element ground state configuration excited state configuration

Na 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s1 1s2 2s2 2p5 3p1

Li 1s2 2s1 1s1 2s2

K 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s1 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 5p1

Sr 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2
3d10 4p6 5s2 3d10 4p6 5s1 7s1

Ca 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s1 6p1

Ba 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2
3d10 4p6 5s2 4d10 5p6 6s2 3d10 4p6 5s2 4d10 5p6 6s1
6d 1

Pb 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2
3d10 4p6 5s2 4d10 5p6 6s2 3d10 4p6 5s2 4d10 5p6 6s2
4f14 5d10 6p2 4f14 5d10 6p1 5f 1

Cu 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s1 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s1 3d9
3d10 5d1

7.
Na= 1
Li= 1
K= 1
Sr= 2
Ca= 2
Ba=2
Pb= 4

8. Some difficulties in using flame tests to identify elements is that some elements produce the
same color when put on fire, making it difficult to distinguish the elements from each other.
Another difficulty was that some of the element could have fallen into the burner, causing the
flame to change color before we stuck the element into the flame.

9. If green light has a higher longer wavelength than blue light, this means that green light has a
lower frequency than blue light, The graphical relationship shows that as wavelength increases,
frequency decreases.

10.
Green

Blue

11.
Convert nm to m
625 x (1m/10^9 nm) = 6.25 x 10^-7

Frequency = Speed of Light / Wavelength

v= c/​λ
(3.0 x 10^8)/ 6.25 x 10^-7 = v
v= 4.8 x 10^14 Hz

E= hv
6.626 x 10^-34 * 6.25 x 10^-7
E= 4.14125 x 10^-40 ​J·s

12.
λ = c/v
3.0 x 10^8 / 4.0 x 10^14 Hz = λ
λ​ = 7.5 x 10^21 m

m to nm
7.5 x 10^21 x (10^9) = 7.5 x 30 nm

E= hv
E= 6.626 x 10^-34 x 4.0 x 10^14
E= 2.7 x 10^-19

13.
Frequency=1240 kHz
c=​frequency x wavelength
3.0x10^8/1240 kHz = wavelength
wavelength = 2.42 x 10^5

E=plancks constant x frequency

e = 6.626x10^-34 x 1240 kHz
E= 8.216 x 10^-31 kHz

Conclusion
In the lab we have found that when exposed to higher temperatures, elements will change color
in reaction to the fire due to the electrons being excited. The purpose statement has been
proven because we were able to observe the flames change color as we put the element into it.
Three sources of uncontrollable error in the lab is that the element can fall into the fire, another
error that may happen is that too little of the element will be put onto the stick and so the fire will
not change in color, and finally, another uncontrollable error that may occur is that the elements
might mix while other students scoop with their sticks without washing, resulting in different
outcomes due to the mixing of the compounds.