Flame Test/Emission Spectroscopy—Chemical Demonstration Kit

Product Details

Each element emits a specific wavelength of light, thus a characteristic color, when excited by a flame. This unique flame test kit produces better results and is easier to perform than the expensive platinum wire procedure. A laboratory burner is placed on top of a Petri dish, which has a hole cut in its top. Inside the Petri dish a chemical reaction takes place, producing a gas. The gas rises, carrying some metallic ions into the burner flame. The burner flame becomes the characteristic color of the excited element. The vivid colors last several minutes, allowing students plenty of time to view the colored flame through Flinn C-Spectra^®. A specially designed can is placed over the laboratory burner to help direct the metallic ions and gas into the flame. Teacher Demonstration Notes and reproducible student worksheet included.

Concepts: Absorption, emission, diffraction grating, flame tests, emission spectra.
Time Required: 15 minutes
Materials Provided: Specially cut can, Petri dish bottoms, specially cut Petri dish top, 12 1"-square Flinn C-Spectra^® pieces, hydrochloric acid solution, mossy zinc, lithium chloride, sodium chloride, strontium chloride, barium chloride, potassium chloride, calcium chloride.