CHAPTER 5 CHEMLAB
2. Use the Flinn C-Spectra® to view the emission
spectra from tubes of gaseous hydrogen, neon, and
mercury. Use colored pencils to make drawings in
the data table of the spectra observed.
3. Fill a 275-mL culture flask with about 100-mL
water. Add 2 or 3 drops of red food coloring to the
water. Shake the solution.
4. Repeat step 3 for the green, blue, and yellow food
coloring. CAUTION: Be sure to thoroughly dry
your hands before handling electrical equipment.
5. Set up the 40-W light bulb so that it is near eye
level. Place the flask with red food coloring about
8 cm from the light bulb. Use a book or some other
object to act as a stage to put the flask on. You
should be able to see light from the bulb above the
solution and light from the bulb projecting through
the solution.
6. With the room lights darkened, view the light using
the Flinn C-Spectra®. The top spectrum viewed
will be a continuous spectrum of the white light
bulb. The bottom spectrum will be the absorption
spectrum of the red solution. The black areas of the
absorption spectrum represent the colors absorbed
by the red food coloring in the solution. Use col-
ored pencils to make a drawing in the data table of
the absorption spectra you observed.
7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 using the green, blue, and yel-
low colored solutions.
Cleanup and Disposal
1. Turn off the light socket and spectrum tube power
supplies.
2. Wait several minutes to allow the incandescent
light bulb and the spectrum tubes to cool.
3. Follow your teacher’s instructions on how to dis-
pose of the liquids and how to store the light bulb
and spectrum tubes.
Analyze and Conclude
1. Thinking Critically How can the existence of
spectra help to prove that energy levels in atoms
exist?
2. Thinking Critically How can the single electron
in a hydrogen atom produce all of the lines found
in its emission spectrum?
3. Predicting How can you predict the absorption
spectrum of a solution by looking at its color?
4. Thinking Critically How can spectra be used to
identify the presence of specific elements in a sub-
stance?
Real-World Chemistry
1. How can absorption and emission spectra be used
by the Hubble space telescope to study the struc-
tures of stars or other objects found in deep space?
2. The absorption spectrum of chlorophyll a indicates
strong absorption of red and blue wavelengths.
Explain why leaves appear green.
CHEMLAB 143