Flame Emission Spectroscopy

• What is flame emission spectroscopy also known as?

  Flame photometry
• What happens to metal ions when they are heated?

  They emit light at specific wavelengths
• How does the flame test work?

  By heating metal over a Bunsen burner flame
• What is a limitation of the flame test?

  It struggles with similar colored metals
• How does flame emission spectroscopy overcome the limitations of the flame test?

  By using a spectroscope to detect wavelengths
• What does each metal ion produce in flame emission spectroscopy?

  A unique line spectrum
• What does the intensity of the lines on the spectrum indicate?

  The concentration of the ion
• How can scientists identify ions in an unknown sample?

  By comparing its spectrum to known spectra
• What happens when multiple metal ions are present in a sample?

  The line spectrum shows lines for all ions
• What can be concluded from the line spectrum of an unknown sample?

  It shows which metal ions are present
• What are the three main benefits of instrumental methods?

  Accurate, sensitive, and fast
• Why are instrumental methods considered sensitive?

  They can detect tiny amounts of substances
• How do instrumental methods improve efficiency?

  They can usually be automated
• What are the differences between manual tests and instrumental methods?

  • Manual tests:
  • Basic and cheap
  • Limited accuracy
  • Instrumental methods:
  • Expensive machines
  • Provide better results