본 연구는 중학교 교육과정에 제시된 불꽃 반응 실험으로 원소의 종류를 구별하는 실험 중 나트륨 불꽃 반응 실험에서 관찰되는 색과 파장의 관계를 분석하였다. 나트륨 불꽃 반응 실험에서 관찰되는 불꽃색은 노란색으로 알려져 있는데 관찰자에 따라서 주황색 및 붉은 계통의 색으로 관찰되는 경우가 있다. 이 같은 경우에 관찰되는 색과 파장의 관계를 확인하기 위하여 교육용 프리즘 분광기와 고해상도 회절발 분광기를 이용하여 색과 스펙트럼을 측정 및 분석하였다. 그 결과 주황색 및 붉은 계통의 색으로 관찰되는 빛도 노란색의 빛과 마찬가지로 589 nm 부근에서 나타나는 나트륨 원자의 고유한 발광 선스펙트럼으로 확인하였다. 같은 파장의 빛이 눈에 다른 색으로 관찰된 까닭은 빛의 세기에 따라 눈의 시각 센서에서 빨간색, 초록색, 파란색을 느끼는 센서의 빛에 대한 반응 민감도가 다르기 때문으로 해석하였다.

In this study the relation between color and wavelength observed in the experiment of Na flame reaction, that is introduced as one of experiments for distinguishing elements by flame color in the national science curriculum for middle school students, was analyzed. Even though the flame color of Na atom is well understood as yellow, sometimes orange or reddish color was observed by different observers. In order to confirm the relationship between color and wavelength observed in the experiment a prism-based spectrometer and a high-resolution grating-based spectrometer were utilized to measure and analyze the color and spectrum of Na flame. The analysis of the results confirmed that both the orange and yellow color light have the same line spectrum having a emission band at ca. 589 nm. The reason that lights with the same wavelength appear as different color was interpreted due to the different response of human eye color sensors of red, green and blue as a function of light intensity.

In this study the relation between color and wavelength observed in the experiment of Na flame reaction, that is introduced as one of experiments for distinguishing elements by flame color in the national science curriculum for middle school students, was analyzed. Even though the flame color of Na atom is well understood as yellow, sometimes orange or reddish color was observed by different observers. In order to confirm the relationship between color and wavelength observed in the experiment a prism-based spectrometer and a high-resolution grating-based spectrometer were utilized to measure and analyze the color and spectrum of Na flame. The analysis of the results confirmed that both the orange and yellow color light have the same line spectrum having a emission band at ca. 589 nm. The reason that lights with the same wavelength appear as different color was interpreted due to the different response of human eye color sensors of red, green and blue as a function of light intensity.

Flame Reaction Experiment, Sodium, Spectrometer, Eye Sensor