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ERIC Number: EJ1442006
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2022-Jul
Pages: 6
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0021-9584
EISSN: EISSN-1938-1328
An Alternative to the Flame Test: Using Inexpensive Tesla Coils to Produce the Emission Spectra of Metal Salts
Axel Milne
Journal of Chemical Education, v99 n7 p2766-2771 2022
High-voltage plasma arcs from solid-state Tesla coils were used to produce characteristic atomic emissions of various metals. The colored arcs produced were highly visible and vibrant, making for a spectacularly engaging demonstration for groups of varying sizes. The demonstration used an inexpensive solid-state Tesla coil to generate low-current, high-frequency, high-voltage electrical arcs that atomize and excite metal salts within a constructed vessel, eliciting the associated characteristic spectral emissions as a result. The demonstration serves as a valuable, accessible, and safer alternative to solvent-based demonstrations. Specifically, this method can challenge student misconceptions associated with the traditional flame test due to the flameless nature of the arcs. The demonstration also introduces the mechanisms underpinning inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometers, which are commonplace in analytical laboratories. The high-frequency nature of the Tesla coil arcs reduces the risks of burns and can facilitate further discussions regarding plasma, states of matter, electron behavior, electricity, and alternate forms of spectroscopy.
Division of Chemical Education, Inc. and ACS Publications Division of the American Chemical Society. 1155 Sixteenth Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 800-227-5558; Tel: 202-872-4600; e-mail: eic@jce.acs.org; Web site: http://pubs.acs.org/jchemeduc
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A