The instrument used for flame testing is called a Bunsen burner. It is a type of gas burner that produces a single open flame, which can be easily adjusted for the desired intensity and temperature. The Bunsen burner is commonly used in chemistry labs for heating, sterilizing, and burning different materials.
In the flame test, the Bunsen burner is used to heat a metal salt to a high temperature, causing the electrons in the metal atoms to become excited and jump to higher energy levels. When these excited electrons return to their ground state, they release energy in the form of light. The color of the light emitted is unique to each metal, allowing for identification of the metal present in the sample being tested.
Overall, the Bunsen burner is a versatile and essential tool in many areas of scientific research and experimentation, including flame testing.