Metal Ion Flame Colours: Full Reference Table
Part of Flame Tests · GCSE GCSE Chemistry revision
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.
Topic position
Section 6 of 13
Practice
22 questions
Recall
15 flashcards
⚖️ Metal Ion Flame Colours: Full Reference Table
| 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 |
Keep building this topic
Read this section alongside the surrounding pages in Flame Tests. That gives you the full topic sequence instead of a single isolated revision point.
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
22 questions on Flame Tests — practise free
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