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Flame Tests.
Some metal
ions can be identified by the colour of their flame
during a flame test.
Metals or metal salts having a coloured flame are
used in fireworks.
A flame test uses a
piece of nichrome wire.
You dip the end of the wire in
concentrated hydrochloric acid
and then hold it in a hot bunsen
flame.
If the wire is not contaminated, the colour of the flame
will not change.
If the flame
changes colour, dip the
wire in
concentrated hydrochloric acid again
and return it to the bunsen
flame.
Repeat this procedure until the
wire shows no
change of colour in the
flame.
Now dip the end of the
wire in concentrated hydrochloric acid
and put the wire into the solid which you are using for the flame test.
A small amount of the metal chloride will
form on the wire.
Hold the wire in the flame and see what colour is produced.
The table below shows which colours
are produced by some metal
ions.
| Metal Ion | Flame Colour |
| Lithium Li+ | Red |
| Sodium Na+ | Yellow/Orange |
| Potassium K+ | Lilac |
| Calcium Ca2+ | Brick Red |
| Barium Ba2+ | Light Green |
| Copper Cu2+ | Blue/Green |
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