Lab 7: Flame Test Lab by Katie, Roz and Maya

In this lab, we burned different compounds. The colors that they gave off were a result of excited electrons from the heat of the bunsen burner. Each element gives off a different color when burned so we could identify the the elements that the wooden sticks were soaked in.

PRE-LAB:

1. When electrons absorb energy in an atom, it will move to a higher energy level. This is the excited start. The grounded state is when the electrons are all at their lowest energy level.

2. Tp emit is to let off or discharge.

3. The excess energy that the atoms use comes from heat from the bunsen burner.

4. Different colors travel at different wavelengths. Each element emits different photons of different wavelengths. This is the emission spectrum.

5. We wash would wash the nichrome wires between each flame test so we don't burn a combination of elements.

Calcium

Copper 

Potassium

Unknown #1: Strontium Nitrate

Unknown #2: Potassium Chloride

We were able to identify these unknown substances by comparing the color to the colors of the known chemicals. When the colors of #1 burned red we knew it was Strontium Nitrate. When #2 burned purple we knew it was Potassium Chloride.