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Flame Emission Spectroscopy

Key Stage 4

Meaning

The line spectra from the flame emission spectroscopy of several metals.

Flame emission spectroscopy is a technique for identifying metals in a metal compound.

About Flame Emission Spectroscopy

Flame emission spectroscopy is an advanced version of the Flame Tests and uses a Spectroscope to separate the colours into a spectrum.
When white light passes through a Spectroscope the colours are split into a spectrum (the rainbow). When metal compounds burn they only produce certain colours so when this light is passed through a spectroscope in flame emission spectroscopy it produces very specific lines called a 'Line Spectrum' instead of the broad spectrum seen from white light.
Metals in a metal compound can be identified by comparing it to the line spectra of known metals.

References

AQA

Flame emission spectroscopy, page 90, GCSE Chemistry; The Revision Guide, CGP, AQA
Flame emission spectroscopy, pages 214-15, GCSE Chemistry, Hodder, AQA
Flame emission spectroscopy, pages 262, 263, GCSE Chemistry, CGP, AQA
Flame emission spectroscopy, pages 263, 284-5, GCSE Chemistry; Student Book, Collins, AQA