CloseScience Photo Library
Flame emission spectra of alkali metals

Flame emission spectra of alkali metals

V600/0061 Rights Managed

Credit: SHEILA TERRY/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Caption: Flame emission spectra of alkali metals as recorded by Robert Bunsen (1811-1899) and Gustav Kirchhoff (1824-1887). Working together Bunsen and Kirchhoff were the first to observe that heated elements emitted a light of characteristic wavelength. When the elements are heated the electrons within it become excited. To return to their ground state they release the extra energy as light radiation at a specific wavelength. Image taken from Lessons in Elementary Chemistry (Roscoe, 1873).

Release details: Model release not required. Property release not required.

Keywords: 1800s, 1873, 19th century, alkali metal, alkaline, atomic flame spectroscopy, characteristic, chemical, chemical reaction, chemistry, element, elements, flame emission, flamed, gustav kirchhoff, line, lines, radiation, robert bunsen, spectra, spectral, spectrometer, spectroscopy, spectrum, table, wavelength, wavelengths

Back