Question

Which of the following is a property of a sodium salt?
A. Purple solution
B. Brown-orange liquid
C. Green gas
D. Silver-gray liquid
E. Yellow-orange when burned in a flame

Answer 1

Hint: Generally alkali metal salts give their characteristic colors when they are burned by using Bunsen flame. It is used to test the presence of alkali metal salts in the given compound. This is called a flame test.

Complete Solution :
- In the question it is given what is the property of the sodium salt among the given options.
- Whenever we are going to burn the alkali metals salts in Bunsen flame there will be a generation of different colors with respect to particular alkali metal salt.
- Coming to lithium salt, it gives a red color with a flame test.
- Potassium salts give violet color in flame tests.
- Sodium salts will give a yellow-orange color when burned in a flame.
- Therefore the color which is going to be produced by the sodium salts under flame test is yellow-orange color.
So, the correct answer is “Option E”.

Note: The color for the alkali salts in the flame form the Bunsen burner is due to the excitation of the electrons from the respective alkali metal salts. The electrons absorb energy from the flame and get excited. After some time the excited electrons release energy and reach the ground state. The released energy is going to appear in the form of color to our naked eyes.