THE FLAME TEST!

Different elements will have flames of different colors

We are going to look at six different metals and their flame colors!

Make a Table and Record Observations

ElementObserved

ColorActual Color

Other observations

QUESTIONS…

1. Why do you think different chemicals emit different colors of light?

2. Why do you think the chemicals have to be heated in the flame first before the colored light is emitted?

3. Colorful light emissions like these are used and can be seen in everyday life. Where else have you observed colorful light emissions?

4. Do you think these different light emission related? Explain.

So What is Really

Going On?

Every atom is made of a nucleus, this nucleus has protons and neutrons.

The nucleus has tiny electrons that whiz around it.

The further away from the nucleus the electrons are, the more energy they have

It’s like holding up a ball at different heights from the Earth’s surface

If you heat up a metal atom, the electrons get enough

energy to jump further away from the atom - to a higher

energy level.

When the electrons go back closer to the atom again, they go down in

energy. The energy that is “lost” is the light we see, it is actually the extra

energy the electron had being given off as a different form (light).

Different metals produce different colors of light because of their different make-up and structure. You can tell what something is composed of by this light that it gives off.

Emission Spectra