Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy & Fireworks

Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy

  • Sidectin:

    • Contains moxideptin, a natural chemical produced by soil bacteria.

  • Emission and Absorption Machines:

    • Measure elements; emission machines (measure metals; absorption machines (measure metals and other elements like boron, chlorine).

  • Process:

    • Concentrated solution introduced, more light absorbed.
    • Burn the sample.
    • Solution sucked up via capillary, nebulized, and sprayed into burner.
    • Water evaporates, leaving cations bombarded with photons.
    • Cations become ground state atoms.
    • Photons tuned to element's outer-shell electron frequency.
    • Photon collision causes electron to jump to excited state.
    • Measure light absorbed, similar to molecular absorption but now atomic absorption.

  • Electron Behavior:

    • Electrons in excited state drop back, re-emitting light.

  • Flame Color Demonstration:

    • Potassium: Purple flame.
    • Copper: Green flame.
    • Sodium: Orange-yellow flame.
    • Strontium: Red flame.

  • High-Temperature Machines:

    • Miniature sunny-cycle plasma machine: Runs at ~10,000 degrees using argon.
    • Other machine: Plasma at ~5,000-6,000 degrees.
    • High temperature jumps electrons; light emitted is measured upon relaxation.

  • Fireworks Application:

    • Different colors from different metal salts.
      • Yellow: Sodium.
      • Green: Copper.
      • Red: Strontium.
      • White: Calcium, magnesium.
      • Blues/Greens: Nickel.

Process

  • First charge launches firework.
  • Second charge ignites metals, causing electron excitation and subsequent light emission.