• Question: What is your favourite flame test colour? I like lithium the best!

    Asked by hazeleystudent to Andrew on 13 Jun 2010 in Categories: .
    • Photo: Andrew McKinley

      Andrew McKinley answered on 13 Jun 2010:

      Lithium is pretty spectacular -that red colour is unreal. I think my favourite has to be copper – that bright green flame is amazing – there is something almost magical about a green flame!

Comments

  • Photo: Ben

    Ben commented on :

    I think I have to agree with Andrew, copper is my favourite too. I love it when some copper gets into a bonfire and you suddenly see green flashes of light in amongst the yellow and red.

  • Photo: Beth

    Beth commented on :

    I’m going to stick up for sodium! The yellow flame might not be as flashy, but I remember we were allowed to do it ourselves! I’d also love to find out what colour francium’s flame is, the heaviest alkali metal. Less that 100,000 atoms have ever been found so we’ll probably never know!