Christina Svensson

Mr. Porter
SCH3UE- 03
September 9th 2008

Flame test and Spectroscopy (emission line spectra)

Part A) Spectroscopy lab:

1) Identifying the unknown gasses:
The emission spectra for the unknown gasses match with following gasses:
• Unknown #1: Mercury
• Unknown #2: Helium

Element
(gas): Spectrum:
Hydrogen
430-440 490-500 690-700
Mercury
400-410 440-450 560-570 600-610
Argon
430 500 630 690 730
Crypton
430-460 580 620 690
Helium
450-460 480- 510 520-
390-410 490 530 590-610 690 720
Neon
700 720 740
550 560 ~600 650 750
Unknown
#A
410-420 440-450 560-570 600-610
Unknown
#B
450-460 480- 500-510 520-
390-400 490 530 600-610 700 730

2) Calculate the energy associated with each of the spectral lines visible for hydrogen:
To figure out the energy of each visible spectral line, we must calculate the amount of energy
for each energy level, since the formula for calculating energy for the visible spectral lines is:
Ecolour= Efinal level-Einitial level

Sample calculation I:

En= -13,6 eV/n2 E2= -3,4 eV

E2= 13,6 eV/2 2
E3= -1,5 eV
E2 = -13,6 eV/4 E4= -0,85 eV
E2 = -3,4
Sample eV
calculation II: E5= -0,54 eV
E6= -0,38 eV

1
 Ecolour= Efinal level-Einitial level Ered=1,9 eV
Ered= E3-E4 Eturquoise= 2,6
Ered=(-1,5eV)-(-3,4eV) Eviolet(a)= 2,9 eV
Ered = 1,9 eV Eviolet(b)= 3,0 eV

Since we know that the colour with the shortest wavelength is violet, and the shortes
wavelength equals the highest energy, than the colour with the highest energy must be violet.

This calculation can also be done using E= hc/λ

3) Scientists have decided that the energy of E∞= 0 and any lower energy would be
negative, meaning the energy of E∞ equals to 0. using the given formula:
En= -13,6 eV/n2
E∞= -13,6 eV/ ∞2

And since the denominator is infinitely large, the energy= 0.

4) The light produced by a sodium vapour lamp shows two lines with wavelengths 5.89 x
10-7 m and 5.90 x 10-7 m. Identify the colour of the sodium vapour lamp using the data
collected from the experiment.
As we saw in experiment A, the flame lab, the sodium turned yellow after burning off
the alcohol. And according to the info we collected for the spectroscopy lab, the colour most
likely to be about 589-590, is yellow.

Part B) Flame test:

Observation table:
Element (salt) Name of element Qualitative Colour of flame (after
observations the alcohol burned of)
LiCl Lithium Chlorine White powder Bright magenta/deeper
red
SrCl2 Strontium chloride White powder Red flame wrapping in
blue flame
CuCl2 Copper(II) chloride Blue powder Turquoise with the tip
of the flame being red
NaCl2 Sodium Chlorine White powder Orange yellow
BaCl2 Barium chloride White powder Pale green

Cl Chlorine White powder Purple

CaCl2 Calcium chloride White powder Orange

This means that the Chlorine flame releases the most energy by having the shortest
wavelength (purple). And the Calcium Chloride, Sodium Chloride and Strontium Chloride

2
have the longest wavelengths, and therefore have the smallest amount of energy being
emitted.

Wrap up:

Using the equation:

E= hc/λ

Where
• E= energy
• c= speed of light: 3,00 x 10^8 m/s
• h= Planck’s Constant: 6,63 x 10^-34 Js(Joule seconds)
• λ= wavelengths

For λ= 400 nm:

E= hc/λ
E= (6,63 x 10-34 Js)(3,00 x 108 m/s)/400 nm
E= 1,99 x 10-25 Js/4,00 x 10-7 m
E=4,96 x 10-19 J

For λ=700 nm:

E= hc/λ
E= (6,63 x 10-34 Js)(3,00 x 108 m/s)/700 nm
E= 1,99 x 10-25 Js/7,00 x 10-7 m
E=2,84 x 10-19 J

And that is why the visible spectra goes from E=2,84 x 10-19 J to E=4,96 x 10-19 J.