Flame Test Lab Report

The purpose of this lab was to determine metal ions in two unknown compounds via a flame test. In order to do this, seven flame tests of known metal chloride compounds were completed and the results were observed and record. The known compounds ' results could be compared to the unknowns. The reason the light, of flame was emitted is because of electrons moving from excited state to ground state, releasing energy. Often times this energy is visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum, 400-750nm. Different wavelengths result in different colors. Knowing roughly what the the wavelength of the substances are, the energy of the substance can be found the equation E=ch/λ. The breakdown of this equation is E stands for energy, c is the speed of

The dH20 allowed for the metal chloride series to stick to the wood, and so that the wood would not burn as easily when placed in the flame. If the wood was not in dH20 it would cause the flame to instead be the color burning wood. In order to get a flame, a Bunsen burner was used, personally I would have used my mixtape instead . The flame needed to be hot, blue, so that the colors emitted by the compounds could be seen easier. In the emission spectra lab, a vapor lamp was placed in high-voltage lamp holder. Once the lamp was turned on the emissions of the gases could be seen using a spectroscope. Colored pencils were draw what was seen though the spectroscope. For both of the labs the room was dark and safety glasses were used. The room was dark because it made the lights or results easier to observe. The safety glasses were used to protect our eyeballs  from harmful UV rays and it 's lab safety.

Discussion: The flame test lab may have had in the flame. The flame had a minuscule amount of orange in it. The reason this a problem is because some of metals burn a shade of orange and the orange in the flame would taint the results of what it seen. As for the emission spectra lab, it may have been a few reasons for error. One error would be that the room was not completely dark. The second would be the lab googles may have blurred what is seen in the spectroscope. Lastly, the user interpretation of what is seen through the spectroscope may have been a source of error. The reason there different characteristics when doing a flame test is because each metal releases a different amount of energy when electrons are returning to the ground state from an excited state. The different amount energies released results in different color. This reason is the same reason that different elements have different line spectra. The quantum theory says that a certain amount of energy has be released or absorbed and Bohr 's said the same but with restrictions. The quantum theory would explain the vast differences in energy in color. The reason atoms need heat is because heat gives the atoms energy which causes them to move to an excited and then back to ground state. The longest wavelength of radiation to break a single O2 molecule is approximately 242 nanometers. This wavelength is ultraviolet which would come from the