Flame tests are used to identify some metal ions in compounds.
Describe how to do a flame test on a solid.
A student does flame tests on five solids, P, Q, R, S and T. Each solid contains one metal ion.
The table shows the results.
| Solid | Flame colour |
|---|---|
| P | lilac |
| Q | yellow |
| R | green |
| S | red |
| T | orange-red |
Use words from the list: calcium, copper, lithium, potassium, sodium
Identify the metal in each solid.
Explain why the wire used in a flame test must be cleaned before each test.
A solid contains both sodium ions and potassium ions.
Suggest why a flame test cannot easily show that potassium ions are present.
52 exam-style questions on OCR GCSE Chemistry 4.2 Identifying the products of chemical reactions, covering 4.2.1 Tests to identify gases, 4.2.2 Tests for aqueous ions and flame tests, and 4.2.3 Instrumental methods of analysis. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.