[JasonRUofA]

Questions: The first ionization energy for Li is 5.20x10^2 kJ/mol and the second ionization energy is 7.29x10^3 kJ/mol. Assume that your bunsen burner reached 869C, and that nearly all of Li atoms heated in your bunsen burner had energies less than 4x RT. Explain why you would or would not expect significant ionization in the flame?

b) From preceding information with your answer from a, the red light emitted by the flame that you observed when LiCl was heated was likely due too
                 - what process?
                 - and the transition is between which energy levels?




Can anybody help me out with this? This assignment is due tomorrow and it's the last question that I'm stuck on. Thanks guys..

[JasonRUofA]

RT = 9.949 so I multiplied that by 4 and it was much less than the first ionization energy. So I answered it did not ionize. But for the process of why LiCl burned red, I put that the flame caused the electrons to jump to an excited state.. contradicting my first answer. Can someone help me out here?

[Arkcon]

Do you have a formula, from your textbook or class notes, that relates temperature to KJ?  Do you have some way of figuring out how many moles are in the flame?  Please review the Forum Rules{click}, you're supposed to show us how you got your answer, just the result isn't enough for us to help you.