Always wear a lab coat and safety goggles!

Preliminary Experiment: Iron

a) Using crucible tongs, hold an iron nail into the flame of a BB (Bunsen burner).
Observations? - After allowing to cool?
b) Repeat the above experiment and use iron wool. Observations?
c) Fold once a filter paper and put one spatula of iron powder on it.
Hold it in front of the BB flame (ca. 10 [cm]) and blow the powder into the flame. (Demonstration teacher)
Observations?

Can you explain the different observations? – What do you conclude?

Experiments with various metal powders

Using the filter paper as above, blow the powders of iron, copper and magnesium into the BB flame.

How is the intensity of the sparkling effect? – What do you conclude?