flame emission spectroscopy

What is flame emission spectroscopy?

It is an instrumental method used to identify metal ions and determine their concentration by analysing the light they emit when heated.

What type of elements does flame emission spectroscopy detect?

Metal ions, particularly transition metals.

how to identify which metal ions are present in an unknown sample

look for which metal ions have the same lines as the unknown sample does

Why is flame emission spectroscopy useful?

1. very accurate

2. very sensitive

3. very fast

How is the light analysed?

The light passes through a spectroscope, which separates it into a unique line spectrum of different wavelengths.

Why does each metal ion produce a unique line spectrum?

Because each element has a unique electron arrangement, so it emits specific wavelengths of light so leading to different observed colours

How can flame emission spectroscopy be used to identify metal ions?

Each metal ion has a unique pattern of spectral lines, which can be matched to known reference spectra.

How can flame emission spectroscopy determine the concentration of a metal ion?

The intensity (brightness) of the spectral lines is proportional to the concentration of the metal ion in the sample.

What are the advantages of flame emission spectroscopy over flame tests?

• More sensitive – can detect very small amounts of a substance.

• More accurate – avoids errors from subjective colour observations.

• Can analyse mixtures – unlike simple flame tests, which only show one dominant colour.

• Very fast - can usually be automated

Where is flame emission spectroscopy used?

• Forensic science – identifying metals in crime scene samples.

• Environmental monitoring – detecting metal pollution in water.

• Industrial processes – ensuring correct metal compositions in alloys.

• Health applications – measuring metal ions in blood samples.