nothing is more fun than BURNING things in class. trust me
Flame lab
Partners name: Noah Jerge
Date: September 12 and 15, 2014
Colored Flame Lab
Purpose:
To observe and identify metallic ions from the different colors they create when they evaporate into when burned
Procedure:
For this lab both of the people in the group had two specific jobs. The "Handler" and the "Runner". After putting on the appropriate safety equipment [lab coats, goggles and gloves (only for the handler)] the runner would go to the teacher and get the necessary metallic ion needed for each experiment on a glass plate, after he came back the runner came back the handler would pour 5 droppers of methanol onto the ion. the handler would then stir the ion into the methanol with a glass rod. After that the handler would make sure everything flammable is off the table and proceeded to lighting a match and igniting the methanol. The handler would then dispose of the match while the runner would record the observations of the ions reactions to flame away from the burning chemicals. When the methanol had completely burned off, the runner would go clean the plate and go get the new ion. We repeated this for every test.
Pre-Lab Question:
Q: What color of light is the lowest in energy?
A: The energy level and frequency are related in proportion to each other, because of this the color of light with the lowest energy and frequency is violet.
Q:What color of light is the highest in energy?
A:The color of light with the highest energy and the highest frequency on the visible color spectrum is red.
Q:What color of light is the highest frequency?
A:See above
Q:What color of light is the lowest frequency?
A:See above.
Q:How are electrons “excited”?
A:When an electron is in an energy state bigger than its ground state (the energy level it normally occupies) it becomes excited.
Q:What does it mean when the electrons are “excited”?
A:When an electron is excited it absorbs extra energy in the form of a photon. When it becomes excited the electron moves up orbitals to match the new energy it absorbed from the photon, as it contains the exact amount of energy needed to jump the orbital.
Q:In your own words, write a short explanation of how an electron absorbs energy and re-emits it as light and why different elements have different spectra.
A: An electron can absorb energy by absorbing a photon, a packet of light or if it collides with another particle. It re-admits this energy as light when it finishes it’s excited state and comes back down to its ground level. Different elements have different spectra because all elements have different energy gaps (the separation of ground and excited states) so when returning from the excited state they must change their frequency according to each gap creating different levels of energy, thus releasing different colors of lights.
Data:
Compound Name Formula Flame Color Observations
Conclusion:
Through the multiple tests we did we were able to conclude that burning chemicals in class is very, very fun. We also concluded that using previous data we were able to identify the unknown substance as Borax.
Post Lab Questions:
Q: Why do you think the chemicals have to be heated in the flame first before the colored light is emitted?
A: I think the chemicals have to be heated in the flame before the colored light is emitted because for there to be a colored light the chemicals electrons have to become excited by another source to have enough energy and to obtain the frequency needed to release these colored flames.
Q: Most salts contain a metal and a non-metal. What type of bonds usually form between a metal and a non-metal?
A: The type of chemical bonds usually formed between metals and non-metals are Ionic bonds. Thus creating the metal Ions we used for the experiment.
Q: What is the definition of a salt in chemistry?
A: The definition of a salt in chemistry is an ionic compound that can result from the neutralization reaction of an acid and a base. These compounds are electorally neutral and have many categories such as: basic salts, acid salts, neutral salts and others.
Q: What is fire?
A: Fire is the combustion or burning, in which substances combine chemically with oxygen from the air and typically give out bright light, heat, and smoke.
Q: What are the chemicals involved in lighting a match?
A: The chemicals involved in lighting a match are: phosphorus and potassium chloride in the match head. When struck against a surface of tension the match head products heat and causes a chemical reaction between these two chemicals.
Q: What is a chemical reaction?
A: The chemical reaction of striking a match head on a surface of tension is the ignition of a flame on the match head.
Q: What natural cycles does wildfire have an impact on?
A: Wildfires have an incredible affect on many of the natural cycles in the environment. Some of the ways they do this are: frequent wildfires eradicate native plant species and encouraging growth of fire-resistant plants and other invasive plant species, releasing high levels of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, cause soil erosion, etc.
Q: List at least three impacts of wildfire in San Diego.
A: Some impacts of wildfires in San Diego are:
Date: September 12 and 15, 2014
Colored Flame Lab
Purpose:
To observe and identify metallic ions from the different colors they create when they evaporate into when burned
Procedure:
For this lab both of the people in the group had two specific jobs. The "Handler" and the "Runner". After putting on the appropriate safety equipment [lab coats, goggles and gloves (only for the handler)] the runner would go to the teacher and get the necessary metallic ion needed for each experiment on a glass plate, after he came back the runner came back the handler would pour 5 droppers of methanol onto the ion. the handler would then stir the ion into the methanol with a glass rod. After that the handler would make sure everything flammable is off the table and proceeded to lighting a match and igniting the methanol. The handler would then dispose of the match while the runner would record the observations of the ions reactions to flame away from the burning chemicals. When the methanol had completely burned off, the runner would go clean the plate and go get the new ion. We repeated this for every test.
Pre-Lab Question:
Q: What color of light is the lowest in energy?
A: The energy level and frequency are related in proportion to each other, because of this the color of light with the lowest energy and frequency is violet.
Q:What color of light is the highest in energy?
A:The color of light with the highest energy and the highest frequency on the visible color spectrum is red.
Q:What color of light is the highest frequency?
A:See above
Q:What color of light is the lowest frequency?
A:See above.
Q:How are electrons “excited”?
A:When an electron is in an energy state bigger than its ground state (the energy level it normally occupies) it becomes excited.
Q:What does it mean when the electrons are “excited”?
A:When an electron is excited it absorbs extra energy in the form of a photon. When it becomes excited the electron moves up orbitals to match the new energy it absorbed from the photon, as it contains the exact amount of energy needed to jump the orbital.
Q:In your own words, write a short explanation of how an electron absorbs energy and re-emits it as light and why different elements have different spectra.
A: An electron can absorb energy by absorbing a photon, a packet of light or if it collides with another particle. It re-admits this energy as light when it finishes it’s excited state and comes back down to its ground level. Different elements have different spectra because all elements have different energy gaps (the separation of ground and excited states) so when returning from the excited state they must change their frequency according to each gap creating different levels of energy, thus releasing different colors of lights.
Data:
Compound Name Formula Flame Color Observations
- Control (Methanol) CH4O Blue Super intense smell, little orange flashes, large flame.
- Borax Na2B4O7 Green and Orange Green to orange, burned from edges inward
- Copper Sulfate CuSO4 Green/Blue Small green flashes, powder turned into bluish liquid when stirred, flame wasn't strong at all after burning edges
- Magnesium Sulfate MgSO4 Blue/Red/Orange Blue flame with red and orange streaks throughout
- Strontium Chloride SrCl2 Red Constant bright red flame throughout
- Unknown (Borax) Na2B4O7 Green Orange White powder, green/orange flame throughout, really strong flame, same color and substance powder as Borax
Conclusion:
Through the multiple tests we did we were able to conclude that burning chemicals in class is very, very fun. We also concluded that using previous data we were able to identify the unknown substance as Borax.
Post Lab Questions:
Q: Why do you think the chemicals have to be heated in the flame first before the colored light is emitted?
A: I think the chemicals have to be heated in the flame before the colored light is emitted because for there to be a colored light the chemicals electrons have to become excited by another source to have enough energy and to obtain the frequency needed to release these colored flames.
Q: Most salts contain a metal and a non-metal. What type of bonds usually form between a metal and a non-metal?
A: The type of chemical bonds usually formed between metals and non-metals are Ionic bonds. Thus creating the metal Ions we used for the experiment.
Q: What is the definition of a salt in chemistry?
A: The definition of a salt in chemistry is an ionic compound that can result from the neutralization reaction of an acid and a base. These compounds are electorally neutral and have many categories such as: basic salts, acid salts, neutral salts and others.
Q: What is fire?
A: Fire is the combustion or burning, in which substances combine chemically with oxygen from the air and typically give out bright light, heat, and smoke.
Q: What are the chemicals involved in lighting a match?
A: The chemicals involved in lighting a match are: phosphorus and potassium chloride in the match head. When struck against a surface of tension the match head products heat and causes a chemical reaction between these two chemicals.
Q: What is a chemical reaction?
A: The chemical reaction of striking a match head on a surface of tension is the ignition of a flame on the match head.
Q: What natural cycles does wildfire have an impact on?
A: Wildfires have an incredible affect on many of the natural cycles in the environment. Some of the ways they do this are: frequent wildfires eradicate native plant species and encouraging growth of fire-resistant plants and other invasive plant species, releasing high levels of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, cause soil erosion, etc.
Q: List at least three impacts of wildfire in San Diego.
A: Some impacts of wildfires in San Diego are:
- Nearly 70%, or 190,000 acres, of the San Diego watershed was burned to some extent in the Cedar fire of 2003.
- Increased runoff into the San Diego River watershed and others. After the fire more erosion took place and cause more sediments and dirt to enter the watershed.
- Alterations in the water habitat include increased water turbidity, removal of vegetation and water temperature.
- Great loss in local animal populations.
- Great loss of plant diversity in the San Diego area. Both indigenous and invasive.