Flame test
A flame test is a test for chemicals. Normally it is used to see whether there are certain metals in a chemical compound. The chemical compound is heated in a flame and a colored flame is made. The colored flame can be turned into its spectrum to analyze it. Many metals produce flame colors. The colors are made by electrons jumping up to higher orbits in the atom when it is heated. They fall down soon, putting out light as energy.
Flame Test Media
A flame test showing the presence of lithium.
Flame test of a few metal ions
Coloured flames of methanol solutions of different compounds, burning on cotton wool. From left to right: lithium chloride, strontium chloride, calcium chloride, sodium chloride, barium chloride, trimethyl borate, copper chloride, cesium chloride and potassium chloride.
Flame resulting from Barium Chloride combustion in a Bunsen burner
A flame test performed on Cobalt, using an oxy-hydrogen torch.*I did the flame test. My colleague took this picture with his cell phone.
A flame test performed on chromium, using an oxy-hydrogen torch.*I did the flame test. My colleague took this picture with his cell phone.
A flame test performed on caesium chloride, using an oxy-hydrogen torch.
An iron (III) flame, generated using the thermite reaction
