| Metal Ion | Flame Colour | Memory Aid | Special Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Li⁺ | Crimson red | Luscious red | Very distinctive and easy to identify |
| Na⁺ | Orange-yellow | Sodium streetlights are yellow | Intense — common contaminant; can mask other colours |
| K⁺ | Lilac/purple | Potassium = Purple | Faint — use blue glass to filter sodium yellow |
| Ca²⁺ | Orange-red (brick red) | Calcium = cement/brick red | Between sodium and lithium colours |
| Cu²⁺ | Blue-green | Copper roofs go green | Distinctive; unmistakable blue-green |
| Ba²⁺ | Yellow-green (apple green) | Barium = lime Green | Distinct from copper's blue-green; more yellow than green |
This comparison covers Metal Ion Flame Colours: Full Reference Table 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 6 of 13 in this topic. Use this comparison to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
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.
Quick recall flashcards
Flame color for sodium ions (Na⁺)?
ORANGE/YELLOW - persistent yellow-orange flame, very intense and bright
What is a flame test?
A test used to identify metal ions by observing the characteristic flame color they produce when heated in a Bunsen burner flame