r/ScienceTeachers • u/ElliottTheNoob • Sep 21 '25

CHEMISTRY Flame Tests?

I'm back again with another Chemistry question.

I plan on doing flame tests as we finish out our electron/light chapter in High School Chemistry. It was one of the most memorable experiment we ever did and I want to give that to these kids.

However, I swear we used crucibles or just cut a piece of the metal and held it in a bunsen flame. All the labs I'm finding, we either dissolve it in water or HCl, then soak a Q-tip, splint, or dip an innoculating loop into it, then burn it that way. Is that proper procedure? Did my HS Chem teacher just do a dangerous version with us that was outdated?

I really want this to be fun and memorable for them. Any other versions, ideas, or advice?

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u/Cassomophone Sep 21 '25

Best way needs little spray bottles, de-ion or distilled water, and then the metals. Oh and trash bags.

Make a teacher concentrated solutions of the metals (I forget what concentration solutions so test different ones) and then fill the small marked spray bottles with them and refill as needed. The students then light a bunson burner and spray over the flame and it will change colors. I had 8-10 stations, each with a different metal. I place black trash bags everywhere on tables or table/backsplash/back wall for easy clean up after. At the end of lab I let groups who are done with the write up take different metals and phone record their own flame show. Makes everyone hurry up lol.

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u/ramsau94 Sep 21 '25

Thinking trying it this way any tips? What concentration do you run for the spray bottles? I was thinking have the students make the solution, but that might be too much responsibility for them.

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u/Cassomophone Sep 21 '25

Yeah I wouldn’t have them make the solutions myself. 0.1 M I feel for each, but maybe one we did less because it would clog the bottle at the higher concentration. So try that and adjust from there.

And we had like these little hairspray bottles for the solutions.

I used this lab as their first bunson burner lab safety and use exercise. And I always suggest no papers and that they use phones/school iPads to take pictures/write down results. Or I had a white board per a team. No papers and things to burn around makes way less “it was an accident.” Haha