Flame Tests

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You can demonstrate some dramatic differences in mineral content by placing the sample in a flame.

Here is how to do it:

1. Prepare small solutions of different common household chemicals such as Chalk (calcium), Alum (aluminum), salt, (Sodium), Borax (Boron), and Drain Cleaner (copper). If you have access to a wider range of chemicals then also include strontium, cobalt, magnesium, and other elements found in chemical compounds.

2. Make a loop of wire and attach it to a stick as shown in the diagram above. If you make the loop at the end a little circle it will hold a fair amount of liquid when you dip it into the solution. Plunge the wire loop in the test solution and place it in the flame.  For each element, a different set of colors can be seen.

For a more comprehensive look at flame tests for minerals see:  http://webmineral.com/help/FlameTest.shtml#.Wn8SCZPwY_U

•Observe and describe the colors seen in the flame of each chemical in the STEM Notebook. Ideally, students have access to colored pencils or crayons that have a wide variation of color to record their results.

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