These UNSTABLE electrons emit the same specific amount energy to become STABLE. This energy is not heat or electric energy, this energy is light energy.
The heat energy from the flame of Bunsen burner, and the electric energy from the high voltage power supply are converted into light energy.
Plank’s wave equation shows the relationship between the energy of a light wave and the frequency of the light wave.
Energy = k * frequency
Plank’s constant = 6.63 * 10^-34 J*s
Energy = 6.63 * 10^-34 * frequency
Each color has a different frequency!!
Frequency of red = 4.42 * 10^14 Hz
Frequency of orange = 4.96 * 10^14 Hz
Frequency of yellow = 5.17 * 10^14 Hz
Frequency of green = 5.66 * 10^14 Hz
Frequency of blue = 6.48 * 10^14 Hz
Frequency of violet = 7.48 * 10^14 Hz
So, each color of light has a different amount of energy!!
When you heat a substance, the electrons in the atoms absorb a specific amount of heat energy from the fire. This heat energy causes the electrons to become UNSTABLE, so the electrons emit that specific amount of energy as light energy to become STABLE.
I throw old copper wire from old extension cords into a fire and see sparks of green light.
Energy = 6.63 * 10^-34 * frequency
Green = 5.66 * 10^14 Hz
Energy = 6.63 * 10^-34 * 5.66 * 10^14 = 3.75 * 10^-19 Joules
The outer shell electrons absorb 3.75 * 10^-19 Joules of heat energy from the fire. To become stable, the outer shell electrons emit 3.75 * 10^-19 Joules of light energy.
And we see green light!!
I throw a few grains of table salt, NaCl, into a fire and see sparks of yellow light.
Yellow = 5.17 * 10^14
Energy = 6.63 * 10^-34 * 5.17 * 10^14 = 3.42 * 10^-19 Joules
The outer shell electrons absorb 3.42 * 10^-19 Joules of heat energy from the fire.
The outer shell electrons emit 3.42 * 10^-19 Joules of light energy.
And we see yellow light!!
Sodium produces yellow light.