Electron configuration and flame test

    This week in science we learned about electron configurations and electrons in an atom. I found electron configuration very interesting yet easy. As we continued to learn and practice the rules they became easier and easier.

    While learning about electron configuration we learned many rules pertaining to orbitals. The first rule that we learned about orbitals Aufbau principle which stated that the lowest potential energy electron in an atom is found in the 1s sub level and electrons will occupy one orbital only after the previous orbital is completely full.  Next, we learned about Pauli exclusion principle telling us that if two electrons occupy the same orbital, they must have opposite spins. Lastly, we learned Hund's rule that says electrons will pair up in an orbital only when all orbitals in the same sub level have one electron. These rules were fairly easy to learn and made sense to me. Our lab for electron configuration was the flame test lab. In this lab we lit on fire various ions and observed the colors they created. After this experiment we learned that each ion had their own specific color and that this experiment would not be a useful way to detect an individual ion because the colors would mix to form a whole new color. As the picture shows Cu+ glows green when lit on fire. In this experiment as we lit more ions on fire I was surprised to learn all the ions had such varying, vibrant and pale, colors. From Ba+ pale yellow to Li+ hot pink. In this chapter I feel I understand the laws and rules of electron configuration very well. One thing I would be more interested in learning about though would be more of why scientists use the flame test. Including what they discover that has made a difference in our world today.