What Salts Create Different Colored Flames When Burned?

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The discussion centers on the colors produced by burning different metal salts in a flame, which is useful for creating fire effects. Key points include that specific metals produce distinct flame colors: barium yields light green, calcium produces brick red, copper gives blue/green, lead results in blue/white, potassium creates lilac, and sodium generates a bright orange flame. It's clarified that the color is determined by the metal ion in the salt, and that these salts do not burn in the traditional sense but instead impart color to the flame. The conversation also touches on the composition of salts, emphasizing that they consist of a metal and another component, with sodium chloride (table salt) cited as an example.
xJuggleboy
Does anyone know of a list I can check to see what salts burn diffrent colors?
 
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xJuggleboy said:
Does anyone know of a list I can check to see what salts burn diffrent colors?

when you mean salts, you mean ions yes?

In general, i find the ones you need to know are:

metal
flame colour

barium
light green

calcium
brick red

copper
blue/green

lead
blue/white

potassium
lilac

sodium
bright orange

Im not sure if you asked this, but if it is, i hope it helps.
 
Bladibla said:
when you mean salts, you mean ions yes?

Im not really sure wha tI mean... I was told that if you put diffrent kinds of salt in a fire they would burn diffrent colors... I was thinking of making some cool fire effects in a camp fire. ISo I need to know what burns what color :confused:
 
what about cations?
 
xJuggleboy said:
Im not really sure wha tI mean... I was told that if you put diffrent kinds of salt in a fire they would burn diffrent colors... I was thinking of making some cool fire effects in a camp fire. ISo I need to know what burns what color :confused:
Salts are made up of a metal and the other bit. For example table salt is Sodium Chloride.
Sodium is a metal, it's only the metal that effects the color, giving the colors in the list above.
 
Also note that in most cases these salts don't burn - they just give color to flame.
 
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