Flame Test Lab
Identifying Unknown Substances
using the Property of Flame Color
Safety Rules!
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Wear goggles.
Wear apron.
Tie long hair back.
Roll up long sleeves.
Don’t reach over the flame.
Wash hands after lab.
NO EATING OR DRINKING IN LAB TODAY!!!
DO NOT POUR WASTE WATER DOWN THE SINK!!!!
Make a Data Table
On a sheet of paper, make a data table to record your observations:
Chemical
Copper Chloride (CuCl2)
Lithium Chloride (LiCl)
Barium Chloride (BaCl2)
Strontium Chloride (SrCl2)
Potassium Chloride (KCl)
Unknown A
Unknown B
Color of Flame
Gather Your Materials
Label a sheet of paper as shown. Place your wood splints on your sheet
of paper in the correct location, so they are correctly labeled.
Copper
(Cu)
Lithium
(Li)
Barium
(Ba)
Strontium
(Sr)
Potassium
(K)
Unknown A
Unknown B
During the Lab...
You are trying to burn the chemical on the splint, not the wood.
The chemicals will burn different colors. If your flame is orange, you are
burning the wood splint, not the chemical.
If your splint catches on fire, extinguish it in the beaker of water on your
lab table.
DO NOT REACH OVER THE FLAME!
DO NOT POUR WASTE WATER DOWN THE SINK!
Clean Up Procedures
● Put alcohol burner and tongs on demo table.
● Put waste water beaker on demo table. DO
NOT POUR DOWN SINK!
● Remaining wood splits can be thrown in the
red garbage can.
● Put aprons away.
● Wash your hands.
● Wipe down your table.
On Your Whiteboard...
Write your Data Table.
Which chemical is Unknown A?
Which chemical is Unknown B?
Chemicals Include:
Copper Chloride, Lithium Chloride, Barium Chloride,
Strontium Chloride, and Potassium Chloride