Flame Tests Colours Flashcards
1
Q
Lithium
A
Scarlet red
2
Q
Sodium
A
Yellow
3
Q
Potassium
A
Lilac
4
Q
Rubidium
A
Red
5
Q
Caesium
A
Blue
6
Q
Magnesium
A
No colour (energy emitted of a wavelength outside visible spectrum)
7
Q
Calcium
A
Brick red
8
Q
Strontium
A
Red
9
Q
Barium
A
Apple green
10
Q
Method for carrying out flame test
A
- Use a nichrome wire, clean it by dipping it into concentrated HCl
- Dip into sample (must be powder)
- Place loop into blue Bunsen burner flame then observe colour
11
Q
Why do we use a nichrome wire on the flame test?
A
Nichrome is an unreactive metal, and won’t give out any flame colour
12
Q
Why do we dip the wire into HCl?
A
Removes (reacts off) any impurities - cleaning
13
Q
Copper (II)
A
Green
14
Q
Copper (I)
A
Blue
15
Q
Why can you not carry out a flame test on a sample containing two cations
A
-The darker colour of one cation will mask the lighter colour
-so only one colour will be seen
