Table of Contents
- 1 Why a nichrome wire is suitable for flame test?
- 2 Why platinum or nichrome wire is used in flame test?
- 3 What wire is used for flame test?
- 4 How do you clean nichrome wire?
- 5 Why do we dip nichrome wire in HCl?
- 6 What are the features of nichrome wire?
- 7 What color is potassium in a flame test?
- 8 What color flame does Nichrome produce?
- 9 What kind of wire is used for flame test?
- 10 Why is it important to clean the nichrome wire?
- 11 How is an element identified in a flame test?
Why a nichrome wire is suitable for flame test?
Nichrome wire is used for its ability to withstand the high temperatures that occur when clay work is fired in a kiln. Nichrome wire can be used as an alternative to platinum wire for flame testing by colouring the non-luminous part of a flame to detect cations such as sodium, potassium, copper, calcium, etc.
Why platinum or nichrome wire is used in flame test?
A flame test is done by holding a sample of your compound on a piece of wire in a Bunsen flame. Ideally the wire is made of platinum because that doesn’t itself give any colour to the flame. But normally in a school lab, you will probably be using nichrome wire – an alloy of nickel and chromium.
Why nichrome wire is used in?
Nichrome is a non-magnetic alloy of nickel and chromium. Nichrome is widely used in heating elements. It is wound in wire coils to a certain electrical resistance, and current passed through to produce heat.
What wire is used for flame test?
platinum wire
A small sample of the material to be tested (usually in an aqueous solution) is placed on a platinum wire, which is then held in a Bunsen burner flame; the color of the flame indicates the presence of certain metal cations.
How do you clean nichrome wire?
Add hydrochloric acid to a small metal bowl. Hold the wire between the sides of the metal tongs, so that when you dip the wire, it does not drip any acid onto your skin. Dip the wire down into the acid and hold for three seconds. Remove the wire from the acid.
Which element did not give any Colour to the flame?
* Hence, beryllium and magnesium elements do not exhibit any color to flame. * The electrons in beryllium and magnesium are too strongly bound to get excited by flame. Hence, these elements do not impart any color.
Why do we dip nichrome wire in HCl?
The purpose of using conc. HCl is to convert the compounds into their metallic chlorides. Because the metallic chlorides are very much volatile. Thus, the flame color is caused by the metal alone.
What are the features of nichrome wire?
Nichrome is characterised by a silver-grey colour and has a high resistance to electrical flow and heat. It is also very resistant to corrosion and wear, is very durable and has a very high melting point at around 1,400oC. Its resistance to oxidation make nichrome a popular material for use in heating elements.
Is nichrome wire safe?
Nichrome has a lower melting temperature than Kanthal, so you need to be careful when dry burning your coils—they will burn open if you aren’t careful. Start low and pulse the coils. Don’t rush into it and hit them with max wattage while dry. One other possible downside of nichrome wire is the nickel content.
What color is potassium in a flame test?
Lilac
Flame tests
| Ion present | Flame test colour |
|---|---|
| Potassium, K + | Lilac |
| Calcium, Ca 2+ | Orange-red |
| Barium, Ba 2+ | Green |
| Copper, Cu 2+ | Blue-green |
What color flame does Nichrome produce?
orange
Nichrome and Platinum Wires Nichrome wire will produce a slight orange tint in your flame, but it is a popular alternative to Platinum, which is generally cost-prohibitive for most labs.
Which salt will not impart colour to flame?
As a result, a large amount of energy is released. The light corresponding to this large energy falls in the ultraviolet region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Consequently, MgCl2 does not impart any colour to the flame.
What kind of wire is used for flame test?
The loops can be made of twisted nichrome wire fixed into the end of a suitable handle, usually a length of wooden dowel. The best flame test loops are made from platinum wire but is usually far too expensive for most schools to use. With nichrome flame loops, a trace of orange flame is usually visible when heated in a Bunsen flame.
Why is it important to clean the nichrome wire?
Cleaning the nichrome wire will limit the spectral lines seen to one element making the identification easier.
Where can I buy nichrome flame test loops?
With nichrome flame loops, a trace of orange flame is usually visible when heated in a Bunsen flame. If you take this into account before you test the compounds, it can easily be ignored. Flame test loops can be purchased from most lab supply companies.
How is an element identified in a flame test?
In doing a flame test the ions of the previous metal will adhere to the nichrome wire, causing both spectrums to be present Each element has a unique spectrum due its electron configuration. The element can be identified by the spectral lines in the flame test.