What is the flame test for sodium?

Flame tests

What is the chemical formula of sodium metal?

Sodium is a chemical element with the symbol Na (from Latin natrium) and atomic number 11. It is a soft, silvery-white, highly reactive metal. Sodium is an alkali metal, being in group 1 of the periodic table. Its only stable isotope is 23Na.

What is the flame colouration of sodium?

Cobalt Blue Glass: In flame tests, sodium ions may contaminant a sample and produce a flame of yellow masking the color of other ions.

What is the chemistry behind flame test?

A flame test is an analytical procedure used in chemistry to detect the presence of certain elements, primarily metal ions, based on each element’s characteristic emission spectrum. The color of flames in general also depends on temperature; see flame color.

What is the sodium hydroxide test?

A few drops of dilute sodium hydroxide solution react to form a white precipitate with aluminium ions, calcium ions and magnesium ions. However, if excess sodium hydroxide solution is added: the aluminium hydroxide precipitate dissolves to form a colourless solution.

What Colour is sodium?

Sodium is a very soft silvery-white metal. Sodium is the most common alkali metal and the sixth most abundant element on Earth, comprising 2.8 percent of Earth’s crust.

Is sodium a metal or nonmetal?

Sodium is a very soft silvery-white metal. Sodium is the most common alkali metal and the sixth most abundant element on Earth, comprising 2.8 percent of Earth’s crust….sodium.

What happens when you put sodium in a flame?

Basic table salt burns yellow. The flames coming off of copper are bluish-green. Potassium burns violet. With all of these salts burning different colors, all teachers have to do is line them up in the order of colors in a rainbow — red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet.

What gives a flame test?

Because each element has an exactly defined line emission spectrum, scientists are able to identify them by the color of flame they produce. For example, copper produces a blue flame, lithium and strontium a red flame, calcium an orange flame, sodium a yellow flame, and barium a green flame.

Which cation is detected by flame test?

K+ is detected by flame test.

What does sodium hydroxide do to metal?

When sodium hydroxide reacts with certain dissolved metals, it forms a solid. This reaction is commonly used to remove dissolved metals from a solution, particularly if they are toxic. When a reaction involves transforming soluble ions into an insoluble solid it is known as a precipitation reaction.

How do you find out what ions are in a flame test?

Make a note of their flame colours on your Flame Test Chart (a simple version is shown below). Compare the flame test colours so you can work out which metal ions are present in each unknown solution. We investigate lithium, sodium, potassium, calcium and copper (II) salts. They give readily identifiable colours and are specified for GCSE courses.

Which is not indicative of sodium in a flame test?

Masked by barium. YellowGold: IronIntense Yellow: Sodium compounds, even in trace amounts. A yellow flame is not indicative of sodium unless it persists and is not intensified by an addition of 1% NaCl to the dry compound. WhiteBright White: MagnesiumWhite-Green: Zinc GreenEmerald: Copper compounds, other than halides. Thallium.

What kind of salt do you use for a flame test?

Spray the flame with the lithium salt solution. Note the colour and record the result. Spray with the copper salt solution. Note the colour and record the result. Spray with the sodium salt solution. Note the colour and record the result.

How can I do a flame test on an unknown solution?

Carry out flame tests on the unknown solutions. Make a note of their flame colours on your Flame Test Chart (a simple version is shown below). Compare the flame test colours so you can work out which metal ions are present in each unknown solution. We investigate lithium, sodium, potassium, calcium and copper (II) salts.