Answer the lab question "How can you use flame color to identify the metal ion in an unknown compound?" by filling in the boxes below to create a hypothesis.

if ...

then ...

because ...

If: the flame color of an unknown metal matches that of a known metal ion

Then: the metal ion likely is the same

Because: metal ions produce characteristic colors when burned.

We have to know how flame colour can be used to identify the metal ion in an unknown compound.

If golden yellow coloured flame, then Na⁺ ion because electrons get excited on heating and again fall back to emit energy of definite wavelengths corresponding to particular colour in the visible region.

If violet coloured flame, then K⁺ because electrons get excited on heating and again fall back to emit energy of definite wavelengths corresponding to particular colour in the visible region.

If crimson red coloured flame, then Sr²⁺ because electrons get excited on heating and again fall back to emit energy of definite wavelengths corresponding to particular colour in the visible region.

If yellowish green coloured flame, then Ba²⁺ because electrons get excited on heating and again fall back to emit energy of definite wavelengths corresponding to particular colour in the visible region.