Chemistry lab class is plainly mixing chemicals and taking notes of their colors. That was what I was thinking then but I was so wrong! When I had my Pharmaceutical Chemistry 1 class last year, I had difficulties in searching for lab test results since we did not use any reference book at all! We did not even have any pre-lab nor post lab lectures and most of my classmates were so clueless on what to do during the lab class. Thanks to the Internet! I got to download PDFs in the middle of our class and one of them is the Flame Test Results.
When a certain element is heated, it emits a characteristic pattern of light energies, which is useful for identifying the element. The characteristic colors of light produced when substances are heated in the flame of a gas burner are the basis of flame tests for several elements.
I am sharing you my list of Flame Test Results for your convenience. Note that the sample is identified by comparing the observed flame color against known values from a table or chart. Also, this test cannot differentiate between all elements. Several metals produce the same flame color and some compounds do not change the color of the flame at all.
| ION | FLAME COLOR |
|---|---|
| Arsenic (As) | Blue |
| Boron (B) | Bright Green |
| Barium (Ba) | Pale/Yellow-green |
| Calcium (Ca) | Orange to Red |
| Copper I (Cu I) | Blue |
| Copper II (Cu II) non-halide | Green |
| Copper II (Cu II) halide | Blue-green |
| Iron (Fe) | Gold |
| Indium (In) | Blue |
| Potassium (K) | Light Purple to Red |
| Lithium (Li) | Magenta to Carmine Red |
| Magnesium (Mg) | Bright White |
| Manganese II (Mn II) | Yellow-green |
| Molybdenum (Mo) | Yellow-green |
| Sodium (Na) | Bright Yellow |
| Phosphorus (P) | Pale Blue-green |
| Lead (Pb) | Blue |
| Rubidium (Rb) | Red/Purple-red |
| Antimony (Sb) | Pale Green |
| Selenium (Se) | Bright/Azure Blue |
| Strontium (Sr) | Crimson Red |
| Tellurium (Te) | Pale Green |
| Thallium (Tl) | Bright Green |
| Zinc (Zn) | Blue-green to Pale Green |
Things to remember during lab at all times:
- Always wear goggles when working in the lab.
- Be careful not to burn yourself with the Bunsen burner.
- Do not allow the chemicals to touch your skin, they can be corrosive. (HCl is corrosive and irritating to skin, nasal passages, eyes and clothing. Avoid contact with the solution and inhaling of its vapors. The salt solutions, with the exception of NaCl, are toxic. Do not let these substances come in contact with your skin.)
- If they get on your skin, rinse it off immediately with water and inform your instructor.
