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MadmanMurray
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We did a chemistry experiment were we burned different metal chlorides on the bunsen to observe the different flame colors produced. Anyhow I'm writing up the report but there's one thing I'm not sure about. I can't make any mistakes because I made the mistake of displaying way too much chemistry knowledge at the start of the year and now the teacher shows no mercy with me. He let's me away with no mistakes.
The teacher explained that the different colors are caused by the different amounts of electrons and energy levels present in the different elements. The elements burned were copper, stronium, lithium, sodium, potassium, barium and calcium. The chloride salts of these elements I mean. I don't know how to explain this I was going to say "I concluded that the different elements when burned give different ranges of light from the visible light spectrum which is evident by the different colors of light radiated by the different elements when burned".
Is this correct? Do the elements radiate "ranges" of light from the spectrum or do they just radiate dispersed wavelengths of light? The teacher told us that high electron/energy level elements such as copper radiate a wider variety of colors which is why the flame produced by copper is more yellow/white and closer to white light which contains all the colors in the spectrum. Would it be accurate for me to say that elements with large amounts of electrons/energy levels radiate a broader range of light from the visible light spectrum than lighter elements do?
EDIT: I just checked the period table and noticed what I said doesn't make sense. Copper burns with a whitish light but strontium which is higher up on the table burns with a red light. Red light is obviously missing a lot of the color spectrum.
The teacher explained that the different colors are caused by the different amounts of electrons and energy levels present in the different elements. The elements burned were copper, stronium, lithium, sodium, potassium, barium and calcium. The chloride salts of these elements I mean. I don't know how to explain this I was going to say "I concluded that the different elements when burned give different ranges of light from the visible light spectrum which is evident by the different colors of light radiated by the different elements when burned".
Is this correct? Do the elements radiate "ranges" of light from the spectrum or do they just radiate dispersed wavelengths of light? The teacher told us that high electron/energy level elements such as copper radiate a wider variety of colors which is why the flame produced by copper is more yellow/white and closer to white light which contains all the colors in the spectrum. Would it be accurate for me to say that elements with large amounts of electrons/energy levels radiate a broader range of light from the visible light spectrum than lighter elements do?
EDIT: I just checked the period table and noticed what I said doesn't make sense. Copper burns with a whitish light but strontium which is higher up on the table burns with a red light. Red light is obviously missing a lot of the color spectrum.
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