Flame Test

What is the primary purpose of the flame test in qualitative analysis?

• To measure the pH of a substance

• To identify the cation in a compound

• To analyze the chemical bonding in a compound

• To quantify the concentration of a solution

• To identify the identity of the compound

Answer explanation

The flame test helps identify specific metal ions (cations) based on the characteristic color they produce when heated in a flame.

An electron “excited” by some outside energy (________ or ________) moves from its present energy level to a _____ energy level.

• flame, electricity, and constant

• flame, electricity, and higher

  
  

• flame, electricity, and lower

• light, nuclear, and higher

• light, nuclear, and lower

TRUE OR FALSE: Electrons in atoms, ions, and molecules are restricted to specific energy levels.

• TRUE

• FALSE

• Insufficient information is provided.

A _______ is produced as the electron falls back from its excited state to its ground state

• anion

• cation

• free radical

• electron

• photon

Which of the following reagents is used to clean the tip of a nichrome wire before performing the flame test?

• Diluted HCl

• Concentrated HCl

  
  

• Diluted Sulfuric acid

• Concentrated Sulfuric acid

• Nitric acid

Which of the following metals will produce the flame shown by the image when performing the flame test?

• Calcium

• Copper

• Sodium

• Potassium

• Magnesium

Which of the following metals will produce a purple/lilac flame when performing the flame test?

• Calcium

• Copper

• Sodium

• Potassium

• Magnesium

During the excitation state, the electrons move from ____________ to the ___________ state.

• excited; ground

• ground; excited

  
  

• higher; lower

• lower; higher

• None of the above

Which metals will produce this specific flame when performing the flame test?

• Calcium

• Copper

• Sodium

• Potassium

• Magnesium

During emission, energy is _________ as the electron falls back from a higher energy level to its ground state.

• absorbed

• released

• doubled

• halved

• conserved