Black Box Lab Report

Mohammed Elshabrawy
SCH3UI- 03
Arnav Datta
Mr. Lalama
23rd September, 2015

Elshabrawy 2

Purpose
This experiment was designed for the purpose of creating a flame test key and using it to
identify the unknown metal in a certain compound.

Question
What are the unknown substances?

Hypothesis
If the unknown substances are applied to fire, then the colors of the flame can be used to
determine the identity of the substances.

Materials

Diagram

Apron (optional)
Eye protection (Safety glasses)
Laboratory (bunsen) burner
Sparker
Cobalt glass squares
Samples of the following solutions: Sodium Chloride, Sodium Bicarbonate,
Potassium Chloride, Strontium Chloride, Lithium Chloride, Copper (III) Sulphate,
Barium Chloride and Calcium Chloride
Samples of the following solids: Sodium Chloride, Sodium Bicarbonate and
Sodium Nitrate

Elshabrawy 3

Experimental Design
Obtain all materials needed as well as your samples from teacher (the solids and solutions
will be on the back counter available for testing). Make sure safety glasses are on and any loose
objects tied back away from the laboratory burner. Light the laboratory burner and adjust it until
it burns with a blue flame. Start picking up some of the samples with the wire loop, start with the
solids and then move on to the solutions. Make sure to record all observations after every
sample. Repeat the flame tests for sodium and potassium based compounds looking through a
cobalt glass and record results. Obtain the unknown substances and attempt to identify the metals
that are included in the unknown substances. Record final observations.

Procedure
Refer to page 43. Note: the hydrochloric acid and sodium chloride solution will not be
used to clean the wire since each sample has its own test wire.

Observations
Substance
and
Chemical
Formula

Sodium
Chloride
SOLIDS Sodium
Bicarbonate
Sodium
Nitrate
Sodium
Chloride
Sodium
Bicarbonate
Potassium
Chloride
SOLUTIONS
Strontium
Chloride

Colour when
viewed with
cobalt (blue)
glass (for
sodium and
potassium
compounds
only)
Dark Yellow

Colour of
the flame
(observed
)

Colour of
the flame
(what it
should be)

Yellow

Orange

Orange

Orange

NaNO3

No Color
Difference
Yellow/Green

Yellow

Orange

Sodium

NaCl

Bluish Purple

Orange

Orange

Sodium

NaHCO3

Purple

Orange

Orange

Potassium

KCl

Light Purple

Lilac/Purple

Strontium

SrCl

Reddish
Orange
Red

Metal

Ion
Symbol

Sodium

NaCl

Sodium

NaHCO3

Sodium

Deep Red

Elshabrawy 4

Lithium
Chloride
Copper (II)
Sulphate
Barium
Chloride
SOLUTIONS
Calcium
Chloride
Copper (II)
Sulphate
Strontium
Chloride
Sodium
UNKNOWNS
Bicarbonate
Calcium
Chloride
Lithium
Chloride

Lithium

LiCl

Red

Pink

Copper

CuSO4

Green

Green

Barium

BaCl

Light Green

Yellow/Green

Calcium

CaCl

Orange

Red

Copper

CuSO4

Green

Green

Strontium

SrCl

Red

Deep Red

Sodium

NaHCO3

Purple

Purple

Orange

Calcium

CaCl

Orange

Red

Lithium

LiCl

Sharp Red

Deep Red

Analysis/ Synthesis
A)
Metal
Barium
Calcium
Copper
Lithium
Potassiu
m
Sodium
Strontium

Symb
ol
Ba
Ca
Cu
Li
K
Na
Sr

Flame
Colour
Yellow/gre
en
Red
Green
Pink
Lilac/purpl
e
Orange
Deep red

B)
Substances

Flame Colour

Sodium Nitrate (Solid)

Sodium Chloride (Solid)
Sodium Chloride Solution

Yellow
Orange
Yellow

Elshabrawy 5

This indicates that the elements that are mixed to form these metal compounds could
have an effect on the flame colour, however, actual colours indicate that the three substances
should produce the same colour (orange). Therefore, the conflict could be due to an error during
performing the lab or students may suffer mild colour blindness which would affect their
judgment. This in turns indicates that only metals have effect on changing the colour of the flame
but non-metals do not.

C)

Substances

With Cobalt Glass

Without Cobalt Glass

Potassium Chloride
Sodium Chloride

Light purple
Dark yellow

Reddish orange
Yellow

The cobalt glass intensifies the colour that should be produced by the metal.
D) Refer to Textbook page 44 figure 8. First compound contains sodium, second compound
contains potassium, third compound contains barium, and last compound contains lithium.

Conclusion
The hypothesis was supported, metals were identified using characteristic colours.
However, human errors affected the accuracy of these identifications.

Sources of Error
Not getting a blue fire out of the Bunsen burner. These will lead to inaccurate
observations.
Any residue chemicals on the Bunsen burner could affect the flame colour and therefore
impact the final results.

References
None.