Experiment no.

3 Flame Color of Metals

Submitted by: Liana Monique San Lorenzo Submitted to: Ms. Minerva Basilio

I.

Abstract

This experiment will show how electrons jump from excited state from ground state. Each element has its own set of spectral emission lines that distinguish it from other elements. This experiment will show how electrons move to the excited state and why the flame color changes. II. Introduction

Electrons determine the chemical properties of atoms. The electrons in an atom exist in layers called shells or energy levels. The negatively charged particles of an electron are kept inorbit in the energy levels. At high temperature, it adds energy to the looser electrons
farthest from the nucleus and pushes them into other orbitals. Eventually, these excited electrons drop back to where they ought to be, and in so doing, they release the energy they stored up as particles of light, called photons. And the color of the flame depends from the energy from the photons emitted.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

III. Methodology On a watch glass, place a few amount of HCl Dip the end of the nichrome wire into the concentrated HCl. Heat the wire into the flames hottest region until there is no visible color. On a separate watch glass, add a few crystals of Barium Chloride to 2-3 drops of distilled water. Stir to dissolve Dip the clean nichrome wire into the salt solution and return it to the hottest part. Observe the color of the flame and record it. Repeat the process using LiCl, CuCl, NaCl, KCl, and CaCl. Complete the given table for the data and results.

IV.

Results and discussion

Data and results table wavelength Metal Salt Metal Ion Color nm m Frequency (Hz) yellowgreen 5.70x10-7 5.26x1014 4.82x1014 4.41x1014 4.82x1014 Sodium KCl Potassium orange 622.5 6.23 x10-7 5.3 x10-7 5.66x1014 orange 622.5 6.23 x10-7 4.82x1014 3.20x10-19 3.75x10-19 3.20x10-19 3.48x10-19 3.20x10-19 2.92x10-19 Energy

BaCl2

Barium

570

CaCl2 LiCl

Calcium

orange

622.5 6.23 x10-7 6.80 x10-7

Lithium NaCl

red

680

CuCl2

Copper

green

530

Different elements can have the same flame color.