The Flame Test is a safer version of the traditional Rainbow Demonstration, an exercise popularly conducted in chemistry classrooms. The purpose of The Flame Test is to demonstrate to students the variety of colors produced when different metals or salts meet a flame. It contributes to their understanding of:
Developed by the American Association of Chemistry Teachers (AACT)
By the end of this demonstration, students should be able to:
Exercise extreme caution around large containers of flammable liquids in the presence of an ignition source. Flame jetting can occur, causing flames to shoot out 15 feet or more.
Notice: ACS's Committee on Chemical Safety recommends that the “Rainbow” demonstration on open benches involving the use of flammable solvents such as methanol be discontinued immediately due to extreme risk of flash fires and flame jetting.
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Email the Safety team at safety@acs.org