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RAHSI Revised 4 August 2010 Modified from Rachel Stein, Flame Test lab, Castle Park High School, Chula Vista Ferreira, et.al, Case Report: Analytical Electron Microscopy of Lung Granulomas Associated with Exposure to Coating Materials Carried Carried Glass Wool Fibers, EHP, Vol 118 (2), Feb 2010
Name Period Date
Flame Test Lab: The Identification of an Element
By placing atoms of a metal into a flame, electrons absorb energy and jump to an
excited energy state, a quantum jump. Then, they return to their ground (original)
state by emitting a photon of light (the law of conservation of energy indicates that
the photon emitted will contain the same amount of energy as that absorbed in the
quantum jump). The amount of energy in the photon determines its color; red for the
lowest energy of visible light, increasing energy through the rainbow of orange-
yellow-green-blue-indigo and violet which has the highest energy of visible light.
Photons outside the visible spectrum may also be emitted, but we cannot see them.
The arrangement of electrons in an atom determines the sizes of the quantum jumps, and thus the energy and
colors emitted, known as emission spectrum. In this way, the emission spectrum serves as a ‘fingerprint’ of
the element to which the atoms belong. We can view the emission spectrum of colors all at once with the naked
eye. It will appear to be one color. It is also possible to view the separate colors of the emission spectrum by
using a spectroscope, which bends light of varying energies differently. Low-energy red light is bent the most
and high-energy violet, the least. This allows us to see the various distinct colors of the emission spectrum of a
sample.
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Electron heated to an
excited state.
Electron falls back to ground state
and emits a photon of light
spectroscopes
Solarobserving.com
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RAHSI Revised 4 August 2010 Modified from Rachel Stein, Flame Test lab, Castle Park High School, Chula Vista Ferreira, et.al, Case Report: Analytical Electron Microscopy of Lung Granulomas Associated with Exposure to Coating Materials Carried Carried Glass Wool Fibers, EHP, Vol 118 (2), Feb 2010
Name Period Date
Wood Splints
In this lab, you will record the flame test color of several metals by wetting a wood splint in a salt solution, then
placing the splint into a bunsen burner flame. Use ONE wood splint per salt solution. Discard the splint into
the waste beaker after you have tested the solution and DO NOT burn your fingers, hair, clothing or each
other!!!
Spectroscopes
Use spectroscopes to view the spectrum of white light from the window, then view the spectrum in the separate
colors of the emission spectra. This may be difficult to do under our lab conditions, because the flame test is
quick and the lab lights will be dimmed to better see the flames.
Cobalt Blue Glass Filters
Cobalt blue glass filters are often used when viewing mixtures of metals to screen out light that is yellow. The
human eye sees yellow very well, since it is in the middle of the visible spectrum. Colors at the edges of the
visible spectrum, especially violet, are more difficult to see. Cobalt glass absorbs light in the yellow
wavelengths, but is transparent to light of higher energy (this is why it looks blue!). Viewing a yellow flame
through cobalt glass will allow us to see if there is any higher energy light present.
Unknown substance
You will use the data we collect to identify a metal in an unknown salt solution. This process is the same as
that used by chemical laboratories to identify the make-up of chemical contamination in chemical spills, land
fills, industrial sites, etc. This must be done to determine the possible threat to human health and the ecosystem
due to contamination.
Wood splint
RAHSI Revised 4 August 2010 Modified from Rachel Stein, Flame Test lab, Castle Park High School, Chula Vista Ferreira, et.al, Case Report: Analytical Electron Microscopy of Lung Granulomas Associated with Exposure to Coating Materials Carried Carried Glass Wool Fibers, EHP, Vol 118 (2), Feb 2010
Name Period Date
Objective:
To observe the relationship between various elements and emission spectroscopy and to identify an unknown
substance.
Pre-Lab Questions:
1. Explain how the electrons play a role in the color of light that we see in the flame test.
2. Why is the color of each metal different?
3. Since you will be recording the color of light that you see, will you be recording quantitative data or qualitative data?
4. Explain why a process, such as the Flame Test, would be important in
a) Forensics:
b) Astronomy:
c) Environmental and Industry Issues:
Materials: Safety glasses
Wood splints
Bunsen burner
Test tube with each salt solution
Test tube rack
Waste Beaker
Tweezers
Spectroscope
Cobalt blue glass Suggested compounds: Barium chloride, Potassium chloride, Calcium chloride, Copper (II) nitrate, Strontium nitrate, Lithium chloride
Safety: 1. Safety goggles must be worn at all times
2. Many of these salts are toxic. If you come into contact with any of the compounds, wash the contacted area thoroughly.
Procedure: 1. To perform a flame test, use the tweezers to obtain one wood splint from the test tube which has been soaking in
salt solution.
2. While holding the wood splint with the tweezers, place the solution-soaked splint horizontally in the hottest part
of the flame. Make careful observations of the flame and record your observations in your data table.
3. Use the spectroscope to observe the emission spectrum for each compound and record the wavelengths.
4. Test each of the remaining compounds.
Red = 656 nm
Yellow = 587 nm
Green = 486 nm
Blue = 434 nm
Violet = 410 nm
Astro
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RAHSI Revised 4 August 2010 Modified from Rachel Stein, Flame Test lab, Castle Park High School, Chula Vista Ferreira, et.al, Case Report: Analytical Electron Microscopy of Lung Granulomas Associated with Exposure to Coating Materials Carried Carried Glass Wool Fibers, EHP, Vol 118 (2), Feb 2010
Name Period Date
Directions: Complete the data table with the missing information.
Test
Record the Compound
Flame Color
to the
Naked Eye
Flame color through the
Spectroscope
Flame color
through the Blue Glass
Filter
Wavelength
(nm)
Test #1 Test #2 Test #3 Test #4 Test #5 Test #6 Test #7 Test #8 Test #9
Unknown
Compound Unknown Compound:
RAHSI Revised 4 August 2010 Modified from Rachel Stein, Flame Test lab, Castle Park High School, Chula Vista Ferreira, et.al, Case Report: Analytical Electron Microscopy of Lung Granulomas Associated with Exposure to Coating Materials Carried Carried Glass Wool Fibers, EHP, Vol 118 (2), Feb 2010
Name Period Date
Clean Up:
1. Clean up all materials—make sure all wood splints are neatly placed in the waste beaker.
2. Be sure your current lab station looks like it did when you walked in.
3. Wash your hands thoroughly before leaving the laboratory.
Discussion and Analysis:
1. How does the flame test provide support for quantized energy levels? Explain.
2. The unknown compound was the same as one of the other compounds. Which one was it? HOW do
you know?
Conclusion: Answer in complete sentences. Write a short paragraph about what you have learned (not if you liked the lab or not) regarding what
information flame tests provide about atomic structure. What were some sources of error in the lab (at least 2)?
How would these errors have affected your results? What would you do differently if you could do this lab
again? Why?
After completing the Flame Test Lab, I have learned…
RAHSI Revised 4 August 2010 Modified from Rachel Stein, Flame Test lab, Castle Park High School, Chula Vista Ferreira, et.al, Case Report: Analytical Electron Microscopy of Lung Granulomas Associated with Exposure to Coating Materials Carried Carried Glass Wool Fibers, EHP, Vol 118 (2), Feb 2010
Name Period Date
Case Study: Identification of Elements that Affect Human Health Although the flame test was useful for our purposes, researchers such as clinical chemists, forensic chemists, and environmental
chemists use various other methods to detect elements and compounds in bodily fluids (i.e. urine, blood, tissue samples). For instance,
when testing professional athletes, chemists will use gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to determine if an athlete is “doping” in
order to improve performance. Chromatography separates atoms and molecules by size and mass spectrometry measures each
particle’s mass to determine their identity. It was through this method that Fallbrook, CA, Floyd Landis was accused of doping during
his one-time Tour de France victory and was forced to return his winnings. Marion Jones was also accused and convicted of doping
and had to return 5 Olympic medals from her turn in the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. Forensic chemists and
environmental chemists also utilize various types of chromatography (i.e. gas, thin-layer, and paper) to separate chemicals by size as
well as microscopy, X-ray, infrared and ultraviolet. The clinical chemist in this case study used EDXA (Energy dispersive X-ray
analysis) to determine the cause of his patient’s illness.
Antonio Pedro University Hospital, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil A 36-year-old man, with medical record number #1827904-1, presented
to Antonio Pedro University Hospital in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with
pulmonary infiltrates (foreign substances) in both lungs detected on a
chest scan. He complained of shortness of breath (SOB) during activity.
The patient has been working in the ship industry for 7 years, making
coating materials, while never wearing respiratory protection. His past
medical history was unremarkable, he has no allegies and he has never
smoked.
Upon admission to the hospital, the patient was completely coherent and
functional. His blood (hematology), liver panel (hepatic), and kidney
function (renal) were all within the normal range. Sputum (mucous)
analysis for acid-fast prokaryotes and neoplasia, both indicators for disease, were negative. Pulmonary breathing
functions seemed relatively normal.
Since the lung scan showed foreign materials in both lungs of the patient, a lung biopsy was performed. An abnormally
high macrophage count was discovered and numerous granulomas which are cells that clump together when fighting
particles that are foreign to the body were observed.
Fill in the patient information sheet below. Patient Triage and Medical History
MR# Age: Gender
Male Female
Allergies: Occupation:
Medical history:
Presenting symptoms upon admission:
Laboratory results:
Hematology Hepatic Analysis Renal Analysis
□CBC □ Liver Panel □ BUN
□Differential □ Creatinine
Respiratory Indicators
□Sputum □Neoplasia □SOB (shortness of breath)
RAHSI Revised 4 August 2010 Modified from Rachel Stein, Flame Test lab, Castle Park High School, Chula Vista Ferreira, et.al, Case Report: Analytical Electron Microscopy of Lung Granulomas Associated with Exposure to Coating Materials Carried Carried Glass Wool Fibers, EHP, Vol 118 (2), Feb 2010
Name Period Date
Macrophage mass
and oversized cell Nodules present in lung scan.
( Round, abnormal spheres.)
Can you identify the
large cell with many
nuclei?
Large cell with
many nuclei
Large abnormal cell magnified
Identify the cytoplasm and circle
each nucleus.
Macrophage cell with platelike
foreign substances
Figure 1
RAHSI Revised 4 August 2010 Modified from Rachel Stein, Flame Test lab, Castle Park High School, Chula Vista Ferreira, et.al, Case Report: Analytical Electron Microscopy of Lung Granulomas Associated with Exposure to Coating Materials Carried Carried Glass Wool Fibers, EHP, Vol 118 (2), Feb 2010
Name Period Date
The patient was asked to bring in a sample of the coating materials and resin that he used for work on a weekly
basis. A clinical chemist performed an EDXA spectrum on the samples and the results are shown below.
Analysis: Identify the elements found the shipping industry materials in spectra A, B, and E.
Question Answer 1) Which elements found in the alveolus biopsy in
spectrum C are also found in the industrial materials
(A, B and E)?
2) Which elements found in the alveolus biopsy in
spectrum D are also found in the industrial materials
(A, B and E)?
3) Which elements are missing from the biopsy?
4) How can you account for the elements that are
present in the industrial materials but are not found in
the macrophages?
5) How would you diagnose this patient and what
advice would you give to him?
Figure 2: EDXA spectra of coating material fibers. A) Fiber spectra B) Resin spectra C) Spectrum of
platelike material found in patient’s macrophages from the alveoli D) Spectrum of different platelike material
found in patient’s macrophages from the alveoli E) Talc spectrum
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