Question

I am doing a simulation lab on flame tests of different compounds. We burned a series of compounds that burned from the red spectrum to the blue.

My question is "Why did different elements have SIMILAR results in the flame test?"

Examples are the lithium, strontium and calcium all burned a similar red hue.

Answer 1

Note that flame test will:

increase electrnos to a higher level with the flame

then, these electrons drop from high level to lower levels

these dorp in energy will be shown as "energy released"

many times, this energy release is fitted in the famous visible line (400 nm - 760 nm)

note that "red-yellow" light is pretty broad

it starts from about 500 and finishes in about 750 nm

there is about 25% probability of watching this "reD-light"color

Also note that

Li+, Sr+2, Ca+ are in the same S-block, tehrefore, electron drop fall in the "red " color area