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Chemical Analysis

Flame tests

  • 3 things to know
  • Paper 2

Overview

Which metal ions a flame test identifies, how it is carried out, the crimson, yellow, lilac, orange-red and green flames of lithium, sodium, potassium, calcium and copper, and why one colour can mask another.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Key term

Give the flame colours shown by compounds of lithium, sodium, potassium and calcium.

Key term

What type of particle can a flame test identify?

Key term

Name the five metals whose compounds you should be able to recognise from their flame colours.

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    What type of particle can a flame test identify?

    Model answer

    A metal ion, which is a positively charged cation.

  2. 2

    Name the five metals whose compounds you should be able to recognise from their flame colours.

    Model answer

    Lithium, sodium, potassium, calcium and copper.

  3. 3

    How is a flame test carried out on a solid compound?

    Model answer

    A clean wire loop is dipped into the compound and held in a hot Bunsen flame, and the colour given to the flame is observed.

  4. 4

    What flame colour do lithium compounds produce?

    Model answer

    Lithium compounds produce a crimson flame.

  5. 5

    What flame colour do sodium compounds produce?

    Model answer

    Sodium compounds produce a yellow flame.

  6. 6

    What flame colour do potassium compounds produce?

    Model answer

    Potassium compounds produce a lilac flame.

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ALithium compounds produce a crimson flame.
BSodium compounds produce a yellow flame.
CPotassium compounds produce a lilac flame.

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