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Elements don't 'emit' colour. Colours are made by varying wavelengths of the electromagnetic force. Substances absorb certain wavelengths and reflect others. Those that are reflected pertain to the colour that we see. My car's surface absorbs purple, green and yellow light but reflects red light therefore it looks red.

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When you put an element in a flame you see different colors of light given off How why?

The heat of the flame provides thermal energy which can excite the electrons in the atom to higher energy levels. When the electrons 'relax' down to their ground state the excess energy is given out as radiation. For it to be coloured, the radiation must fall in the visible spectrum.


Which physical characteristic of a solution may indicate the presence of a transition element?

The color of a solution can be a physical characteristic that indicates the presence of a transition element. Transition metals in solution often exhibit distinct colors due to their ability to absorb specific wavelengths of light, leading to colored solutions.


The characteristic colors of the reactants and the products are caused by the cations or the anions in the compound?

The characteristic colors of compounds are typically caused by the specific arrangement of electrons in the transition metal ions present in the compound. Transition metals exhibit a range of colors due to their ability to absorb certain wavelengths of light. The color observed is a result of the absorbed light that is not transmitted or reflected.


What characteristic of their an atom's light allows you to tell one atom from another?

first you must know what ROY G BIV is. that is the spectrum of visible light humans can see and it stands for Red Orange Yellow Green Blue Indigo Violet. the specific characteristic of light that allows you to tell one atom from another has to do with the fact that light travels in waves. each element gives off its own specific and unique light pattern and the different colors of visible light travel in different waves. the color red is the longest wave and violet is the shortest. so lets say hypothetically that you tested helium and you got red light, next you tested oxygen and you got yellow. this would indicate that the two atoms of the element are different because you got two different colors, and therefore two different wavelengths.


Can a flame be used to identify an element Why?

Yes, a flame can be used to identify an element through a process known as flame tests. When certain elements are heated in a flame, they emit light at specific wavelengths, resulting in characteristic colors. For example, sodium produces a bright yellow flame, while copper gives a green flame. By observing these colors, one can identify the presence of particular elements in a sample.

Related Questions

How can a spectroscope be used to identify an element heated to incandescence?

When an element is heated to incandescence, it emits light at specific wavelengths characteristic of that element. A spectroscope can separate these wavelengths, producing a unique spectral pattern called an emission spectrum. By analyzing this spectrum, scientists can identify the element present based on the specific wavelengths of light emitted.


Is an element's flame color a chemical characteristic?

The color of the light emitted by an element heated within a flame is a physical characteristic, but this particular physical characteristic is itself determined by a chemical characteristic: the distribution of electron energy levels within the element.


What characteristic properties are based on how visible light produces colors?

no


What device analyzes the light given off when an element is burned?

A spectrometer analyzes the light given off when an element is burned.


When you put an element in a flame you see different colors of light given off How why?

The heat of the flame provides thermal energy which can excite the electrons in the atom to higher energy levels. When the electrons 'relax' down to their ground state the excess energy is given out as radiation. For it to be coloured, the radiation must fall in the visible spectrum.


Why is gold golden?

It's the color of the element that makes it gold.


Which physical characteristic of a solution may indicate the presence of a transition element?

The color of a solution can be a physical characteristic that indicates the presence of a transition element. Transition metals in solution often exhibit distinct colors due to their ability to absorb specific wavelengths of light, leading to colored solutions.


Is color a characteristic of visible light that does not depend on the lights wavelength?

Different wavelengths of light have different colors.


Is wavelength a characteristic feature that determines the color of light?

Yes, wavelength is a characteristic feature that determines the color of light. Different wavelengths of light correspond to different colors in the visible spectrum, with shorter wavelengths corresponding to colors like blue and violet, and longer wavelengths corresponding to colors like red and orange.


What is the separation of white light into colors called?

The separation of white light into colors is called dispersion. This phenomenon occurs when light passes through a medium that causes the different wavelengths of light to bend by different amounts, resulting in the characteristic spectrum of colors.


Why do we see different colours in a flame test?

Different elements emit different colors when heated because each element has unique electron energy levels. When an element is heated in a flame, its electrons absorb energy and move to higher energy levels, then fall back to lower levels, releasing energy in the form of light of specific colors, giving the characteristic flame color for that element.


What is a substance that gives color by reflecting some colors of light and absorbing other colors of light?

A substance that gives color by reflecting some colors of light and absorbing other colors of light is known as a pigment. Pigments absorb certain wavelengths of light and reflect others, which gives them their characteristic color.