LABORATORY ACTIVITY NO.

1
QUANTUM MECHANICS: DETERMINING THE ENERGY LEVELS USING THE FLAME TEST

INTRODUCTION
If you excite an atom or an ion by very strong heating, electrons can be promoted
from their normal unexcited state into higher orbitals. As they fall back down to lower levels
(either in one go or in several steps), energy is released as light. Each of these jumps involves
a specific amount of energy being released as light energy, and each corresponds to a
particular wavelength or frequency.
As a result of all these jumps, a spectrum of lines will be produced, some of which will
be in the visible part of the spectrum. The color you see will be a combination of all these
individual colors.
In the case of sodium (or other metal) ions, the jumps involve very high energies and
these result in lines in the UV part of the spectrum which your eyes can’t see. The jumps that
you can see in flame tests come from electrons falling from a higher to a lower level in the
metal atoms.
So if, for example, you put sodium chloride which contains sodium ions, into a flame,
where do the atoms come from? In the hot flame, some of the sodium ions regain their
electrons to form neutral sodium atoms again.
A sodium atom in an unexcited state has the structure 1s 22s22p63s1, but within the
flame there will be all sorts of excited states of the electrons.
Sodium’s familiar bright orange-yellow flame color results from promoted electrons
falling back from the 3s1 level. The exact sizes of the possible jumps in energy terms vary
from one metal to another. That means that each different metal will have a different
pattern of spectral lines, and so a different flame color.
MATERIALS
Safety Goggles Representative Wavelength Color
Digital balance Wavelength, mm Region, mm
Gloves 410 400-425 Violet
Beakers 250-mL 470 425-480 Blue
6 watch glasses 490 480-500 Blue-green
6 inoculating loops 520 500-560 Green
1M HCl 565 560-580 Yellow-green
Distilled water 250 mL 580 580-585 Yellow
1g Calcium chloride, CaCl2 600 585-650 Orange
1g Barium chloride, BaCl 650 650-700 Red
1g Lead (II) chlorides, PbCl2
1g Copper (II) chloride, CuCl2
1g Lithium Chloride, LiCl
1g Potassium chloride, KCl
1g Sodium Chloride, NaCl
1g Strontium chloride, SrCl2

PROCEDURE
 1. Wear gloves when handling chemicals.
2. Obtain a 250-mL beaker about half-full with distilled water.
3. Obtain a six wooden inoculating loops that have been soaked in 1M HCl.
4. Place them in this beaker with HCl to continue soaking at your lab station.
5. Fill a second 250-mL beaker about half-full with tap water. Label this beaker “rinse
water”.
6. Obtain six watch glasses labeled “CaCl2”, “CuCl2”, “LiCl”, “NaCl”, “KCl”, and “SrCl2”.
7. Each contains a small scoopful (about 1g) of each metallic solid on each of the
corresponding watch glasses.
8. Dip the soaked end of one of the wooden splints in one of the metallic salts.
9. Light a match and then placed the “dipped” wooden split into the flame.
10. Observe the color of the flame. Allow the splint to burn until the color fades. Try not to
allow any of the solid to fall onto your desk.
11. If necessary, repeat the test with the same splint and salt.
12. Immerse the wooden splint in the “rinse water” to fully extinguish it.
13. Record the most accurate color of the flame produced by the metallic salt in the Data
Table.
14. Record also the wavelength of the color of light produced by the metallic salt in the
Data Table.
15. Repeat steps 6-8 for the other five metallic salts. Record your observations for the
flame color produced by each metallic salt in the Data Table.
16. Clean up your area, put everything away, and wash your hands before leaving the lab.
Course: General Chemistry 1 Experiment No.: 4
Group No.: 1 Section: 12STEM A5
Group Members: DatePerformed: 09-06-19
Date Submitted:
Azores,Mark Anthony Manantan,Ma. Angelica Instructor: Engr.
Bautista,Makki Manoza,Gabriel Raymund Anthony
Fajardo,Athos Palquiran,Ran Joshua Hernandez
Gurrero,Jane Beatriz
Lopez,Gian
Malindog,Sigmund Louis

DATA TABLE 1
Name of the Compound Flame Color Wavelength region in mm
1. LiCl2 Violet 400-425
2. SrCl2 Red 650-700
3. CaCl2 Orange 585-650
4. KCl Blue 425-480
5. NaCl Orange 585-650
6. CuCl2 Green 500-560
7. BaCl2 Yellow 580-585
DATA TABLE 2
Elements Electron Configuration at Neutral State
1. Calcium 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2
2. Barium 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10 4p6 5s2 4d10 5p6
6s2
3. Lithium 1s2 2s1
4. Sodium 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s
5. Strontium 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10 4p6 5s2
6. Potassium 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s1
GUIDE QUESTIONS
Name of Member Questions
1. What are the colors that you were easily able to identify?
How many trials did you do to get the most accurate color?
The colors that we were easily to identify is the red, orange and
yellow. We tried it only once.
2. Why are these colors easier to identify compared to the other
elements? Explain with references/basis.
Red, orange and yellow because it has the longest wavelength that can
be seen easily.
3. What are the colors that you had a hard time identifying?
How many trials did you do to get the most accurate color?
Violet and blue. That's why we tend to try 4-5 trials.
4. Why are these colors harder to identify compared to the other
elements? Explain with references/basis.
Because it has the shortest wavelength that cannot seen easily.
5. What is the importance of using different wooden inoculating loops in
testing the colors of the flame?
The importance of using different inoculating loops in testing the flame
colors is that it gives us the accurate color that the chemical compound
should have.
6. What could have happened if your group used the same inoculating
loop to test all the compounds?
If we used the same inoculating loop to test all the compounds, we might
not be able to identify the right color that a compound has.
7. Identify some of the similarities and differences of the compounds that
were used in the flame test?
Their differences are that each compound have different levels of
excited state and neutral state which results to differences between
two levels that emits different specific color each compound. Their
similarities, all compounds, when heated, it causes their atoms to be
excited and eventually return to neutral state.
8. Which is your independent variable? Which is your dependent
variable?
The independent variable is the metallic salts and the dependent
 variable is the flame color.
9. What is the relevance of knowing the colors of light in the field of
Astronomy and Physics?
What is the relevance of knowing the colors of light in the field of
Fireworks?
Cite the references.
The Properties of Light
Astronomers measure many properties of light, such as luminosity
(brightness), intensity, its frequency or wavelength, and polarization.
Each wavelength and frequency of light lets astronomers study objects
in the universe in different ways. The speed of light (which is
299,729,458 meters a second) is also an important tool in determining
distance. For example, the Sun and Jupiter (and many other objects in
the universe) are natural emitters of radio frequencies. Radio
astronomers look at those emissions and learn about the objects'
temperatures, velocities, pressures, and magnetic fields. One field of
radio astronomy is focused on searching out life on other worlds by
finding any signals they may send. That is called the search for
extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI).
Reference: https://www.thoughtco.com/light-and-astronomy-3072088
-Inside each firework is something called an aerial shell — a tube that
contains gunpowder and dozens of small modules called "stars," which
measure about 1 to 1.5 inches (3 to 4 centimeters) in diameter,
according to the American Chemical Society (ACA). These stars hold
fuel, an oxidizing agent, a binder and metal salts or metal oxides — the
source of the firework's hues. Each chemical element releases a
different amount of energy, and this energy is what determines the
color or wavelength of the light that is emitted.
Reference: https://www.livescience.com/32675-how-do-fireworks-
get-their-colors.html
10. Explain the reason why each of the elements produced a different
color of light?
Heating an atom excites its electrons and they tend jump into a higher
energy levels. When the electrons go back to lower energy levels, they emit
energy in the form of light.
11. What are the colors that have higher energies and lower energies
based on the Electromagnetic Spectrum of Light?
Lower energies have colors which has a longer wavelength and the shorter
ones carry the most energy.

APPENDIX OF RESULTS
COLLECTION OF PICTURES THAT SHOW THE SET-UP
PROVIDE A 2-3 SENTENCE EXPLANATION ABOUT EACH PICTURE
 Calcium chloride
CaCl2 emits a darker red
and somehow violet shade
of color when exposed to
flame test, the violet color
cannot be easily seen and
needed to be observed
carefully.
Potassium chloride
KCl emits a red color due
to the mixed compounds
from before, the true color
of the KCl when exposed to
flame cannot be seen easily.
The Green color was not
visible due to the mixed
compounds present in the
inoculating loops
DOCUMENTATION
GROUP PICTURE INSIDE THE LABORATORY
Barium chloride Sodium chloride Copper (II) chloride
NaCl emits a yellow-
green color when
exposed to flame test.
The color was seen
immediately and is
clearly visible
BaCl emitted color CuCl2 emits a mixed
yellow which makes of blue and green
us a bit confused
color when exposed
since yellow and
orange are close
to flame test. The
colors to this green color is the
experiment that is most visible in the
why you really need naked eye
to observe well.
Ammonium Tin (III) chloride
chloride
DRAWING OF THE FLOWCHART OF THE PROCEDURE

Prepared by:

Engr. Hernandez, Raymund Anthony M., LPT, MSciEd.

Assessment (Rubric for Laboratory Performance):

TECHNOLOGICAL INSTITUTE OF THE PHILIPPINES
T I P – V P A A – 0 5 4 D

Revision Status/Date: 0/2009 September 09

RUBRIC FOR LABORATORY PERFORMANCE

CRITERIA BEGINNER ACCEPTABLE PROFICIENT

SCORE
1 2 3
I. Laboratory Skills
 Members
Members do not Members always
Manipulative occasionally
demonstrate needed demonstrate needed
Skills demonstrate needed
skills. skills.
skills.
Members are able to
Members are unable Members are able to
Experimental set-up the material
to set-up the set-up the materials
Set-up with minimum
materials. with supervision.
supervision.
Members
Member do not Members always
occasionally
demonstrate demonstrate
Process Skills demonstrate
targeted process targeted process
targeted process
skills. skills.
skills.
Members do not Members follow Members follow
Safety
follow safety safety precautions safety precautions at
Precautions
precautions. most of the time. all times.
II. Work Habits
Time Members finish
Members do not Members finish on
Management / ahead of time with
finish on time with time with incomplete
Conduct of complete data and
incomplete data. data.
Experiment time to revise data.
Members are on
Members have
Members do not tasks and have
defined
know their tasks and defined
responsibilities most
Cooperative have no defined responsibilities at all
of the time. Group
and responsibilities. times. Group
conflicts are
Teamwork Group conflicts have conflicts are
cooperatively
to be settled by the cooperatively
managed most of
teacher. managed at all
the time.
times.
Clean and orderly
Clean and orderly
Messy workplace workplace with
Neatness and workplace at all
during and after the occasional mess
Orderliness times during and
experiment. during and after the
after the experiment.
experiment.
Members require Members do not
Ability to do Members require
occasional need to be
independent supervision by the
supervision by the supervised by the
work teacher.
teacher. teacher.
TOTAL SCORE
Other Comments / Observations:
TotalScore
RATING = ( 24 )
x 100%

Evaluated by:

_______________________________________
Printed Name and Signature of Faculty Member Date:
___________________________