Explain the difficulty that may rise if a flame test is used to identify a single cation in a mixture containing several cations.
2007-03-23 15:28:18 · 3 answers · asked by ZG786 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
well, a flame tests is usefull because most cations give a particular flame colour due to electrons being excited to higher energy levels and then falling back down. Each cation has its unique "fingerprint" (visible or not). If you carry out a flame test using many cations how would you see which one has actually contributed to the colour (if any) that you see? what you will probably see would be a mixture of different colours....
2007-03-24 02:00:55 · answer #1 · answered by Lara M. 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
because when you apply the flame to the mixture, the different cations will likely all ignite at once an d have different colors of flame, so you won't be able to determine what the cation is.
2007-03-23 15:33:47 · answer #2 · answered by Melissa 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
because of the fact once you persist with the flame to the mixture, distinctive cations will in all possibility all ignite at as quickly as an d have distinctive colours of flame, so which you will no longer have the skill to be sure what the cation is.
2016-12-08 09:52:07 · answer #3 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋