Talk:Flame test

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[edit] Please direct general questions about flame tests to the Wikipedia:Reference desk.

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Contents 1 Please direct general questions about flame tests to the Wikipedia:Reference desk. 2 People asking us to do their homework for them instead of reading the article 3 Structure suggestion 4 restored 5 Ions only? 6 Test Description 7 Periodic table? 8 Pictures

[edit] People asking us to do their homework for them instead of reading the article

what is the main reason for carrying out a flame test? --212.85.15.116 09:15, 8 December 2005 (UTC)

What are the inaccuracies involved in using flame tests for identification purposes? Your little chemist—The preceding unsigned comment was added by 70.188.172.243 (talk • contribs) 18:40, November 16, 2005 (UTC)

It can help Idenify elements in a compound. It's quick and easy. The main inaacuracies are the fcat that the colours can be similar between two elements, one may mask another, to be able to see the colours some times you need large amounts of the element in the compuund --Wolfmankurd 12:17, 8 June 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Structure suggestion

Should probably be documented in the article anyways:

1. The flame test is a fast, simple and easy way to detect (qualitatively) certain elements in a sample.
2. It only works with certain elements (generally metals)
3. The test depends on the ability of the chemist to recognize the color of an element (and some are similar, also forget it if you are color blind).
4. The element must be present in fairly large concentrations
5. The presence of an element can be masked by another element (hence the cobalt glass filter which is used, for instance, to detect other elements in the presence of sodium which would normally overwhelm the light).

I'll see about neatening this up and adding it to the article at some point. RJFJR 20:16, 8 December 2005 (UTC)

[edit] restored

anon 59.92.41.44 removed the common metals section including the pictures. I don't know if it was on purpose. I restored it. RJFJR 18:45, 28 January 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Ions only?

I thought that the flame test could only be carried out on metallic cations, not normal elements. I was going to edit references to "metals" to "Metallic Ions" but I wanted to check with the communitity beforehand. 202.173.128.90 09:11, 28 May 2006 (UTC)

Also, an explaination of the chemical side of the test should be added; that the reason for the emittion of light is caused by electrons in the element being given energy from the flame, raising the electrons to a set higher energy level, and by returning from the higher energy level to the original energy level, the extra energy is given off as electron-magnetic radition, causing the change of colour in the flame by radiation in the light spectrum. (general explaination, needs a lot of work) 202.173.128.90 09:31, 28 May 2006 (UTC)

add, the fact that the colour of the wave depends on energy of the photon it's wavelength/frequency, depends on the size of the jump made by the electron, depends on the element --Wolfmankurd 12:14, 8 June 2006 (UTC)

I have added a link to Emission spectrum for the physical chemistry side, don't think this needs more Todd.Dembrey 19:16, 24 June 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Test Description

Rifleman 82 has introduced a section 'Test' to replace a section removed by me for WP:NOT violations. I believe that this section (as well as the one I removed) is redundant, and doesn't add to the article - I believe that enough information is conveyed in this sentence from the first paragraph:

It involves introducing a sample to a flame, and observing the colour that results. Samples are often held on the looped end of a clean, nonreactive wire or on the tip of a wood stirring stick soaked in water.

This new section can also be read as directly contradicting the previous paragraph - 'does not require any special equipment' could be either:

• No equipment is needed that isnt normally found in a chem lab ; or
• Is doable with equipment a lay person could have

I think the second definition is what most people are likely to read it as (and, it is reasonably true for the flame test - a match will do the job well enough), and that would make a bunsen certainly 'special equipment', and probably platinum wires and HCl, too. LVC 01:13, 29 January 2007 (UTC)

If you're a chemist, a bunsen burner and platinum wire will not be "special equipment". A match or a wooden stick will probably give you a lot of problems from sodium contamination. I didn't catch the part on the top, I've tweaked it again. --Rifleman 82 04:22, 29 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Periodic table?

Would it add to the table to include the column in the periodic table? I'd imagine that relates to the emission color. —Ben FrantzDale 00:54, 13 November 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Pictures

This article really needs pictures of the diffrent tests. One persons mauve is anothers violet so the description can be a bit accurate. Even an emmision spectrum could help. Could someone think about this because i just dont have the time? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 220.253.129.92 (talk) 09:24, 18 February 2008 (UTC)