Flame Tests Flashcards
1
Q
What do flame tests identify?
A
Metal ions present
2
Q
Lithium burns with a _________________ flame
A
Crimson-red
3
Q
Sodium burns with a _____________ flame
A
Yellow-orange
4
Q
Potassium burns with a ____________ flame
A
Lilac
5
Q
Calcium burns with a __________ flame
A
Brick red
6
Q
How do you do a flame test?
A
- Clean platinum wire loop by dipping in HCL then hold in flame
- Dip wire loop in sample you want to test and put in the flame
7
Q
Copper burns with a ___________ flame
A
Green
8
Q
Negatives of flame tests
2
A
Colour can be difficult to distinguish - especially if there are low concentrations
Sample might contain mixture of metal ions - can mask the flame colour
9
Q
An Alternative to flame tests to identify metal ions
A
Flame emission spectroscopy
