Q. Why is the sample in the flame photometer heated?

Answer

The solution is drawn into the flame by a nebulizer (or aspirator) in a flame photometer. Samples are atomized after the matrix has evaporated. In this way, atoms can absorb enough heat from the flame to enter an excited state. In their final, ground-state decay, excited atoms emit light at certain wavelengths, creating what is known as a line spectrum. In flame photometry, the filter employed is determined beforehand by the type of atom being studied. The intensity of the emission line is then measured experimentally and correlated with the starting concentration of the solution. There are five ions that can be detected by flame photometers (K, Na, Li, Ca & Ba).