In this demonstration, an improvised alcohol burner, with a methanol solution of a salt as fuel, produces a long-lasting brightly colored flame. A disadvantage when using a regular alcohol burner is that the burner has to be cleaned and a wick replaced, before a solution of a different salt can be used. For our demonstration, alcohol burners are made from small (5-mL) glass vials. The vials are filled with a methanol solution of the desired salt and a paper wick is added. Thus, a small amount of solvent (5 mL or less) provides a colored flame, which lasts for several minutes. Vials and paper wicks can be reused. Use of the described alcohol burner in a flame test demonstration has several advantages. It is inexpensive, a number of tests can be run simultaneously, and stock solutions of metal salts can be prepared in advance and stored for future demonstrations.
More Information
Citation
Dragojlovic, Veljko. J. Chem. Educ.1999 76 929.
Keywords
Demonstrations; Introductory / High School Chemistry; Atomic Properties / Structure; Descriptive Chemistry; Excited States / Energy Transfer; Qualitative Analysis
The "Chemistry Teacher Connection" (CTC) is especially for high school chemistry teachers. For only $40/year, it offers an online-only subscription to CLIC along with membership in the Division of Chemical Education, normally $65/year. CTC subscribers receive access to all articles and supplements from 1996 through the current issue.
Through special arrangement with the ACS, JCE High School CLIC is now able to provide subscribers with online access to Chemical & Engineering News articles that have been selected specifically for secondary science instructors and their students.
Occasionally, collections of JCE back issues become available for donation to individual teachers, schools, or libraries. JCE matches collections with interested recipients. Recipients pay shipping costs or pick up the collection.
For journals in other fields of chemistry visit ACS Publications.
Citation
Always in the