This diagram covers Flame Colours Summary within Flame Tests for GCSE Chemistry. Revise Flame Tests in Chemical Analysis for GCSE Chemistry with 22 exam-style questions and 15 flashcards. This is a high-frequency topic, so it is worth revising until the explanation feels precise and repeatable. It is section 3 of 13 in this topic. Focus on the labels, the relationships between parts, and the explanation that turns the diagram into an exam-ready answer.
Figure 1: Characteristic flame colours — left to right: Li⁺ crimson, Na⁺ yellow, K⁺ lilac, Ca²⁺ orange-red, Cu²⁺ blue-green, Ba²⁺ yellow-green. Learn the exact colour name for each.
Flame Colours Summary
- Lithium (Li⁺): Crimson red
- Sodium (Na⁺): Orange-yellow
- Potassium (K⁺): Lilac/purple
- Calcium (Ca²⁺): Orange-red (brick red)
- Copper (Cu²⁺): Blue-green (green)
- Barium (Ba²⁺): Yellow-green (apple green)
Practice questions for Flame Tests
Which type of wire is used to carry out a flame test?
Explain why different metal ions produce different colours in flame tests.