Lead Project: BFS Lead Map

Vista del Valle/Harvey Mudd College Collaboration in Science, Mathematics, & Writing

Atomic Absorbance Spectroscopy (AA) is a technique to determine the amount of a given element in a sample. Over 62 different elements can be measured by AA. Briefly speaking, the sample is dissolved in water, then a small portion of the resulting solution is mixed with acetylene gas and burned in a flame. The color of light absorbed by the flame is measured, allowing us to identify the element and calculate the amount present. The Wikipedia has a good overview of this technique!

Shown above is our instrument which you can view with the Analysis Webcam. You can get a rough idea of how our instrument works by watching some movies made by Harvey Mudd students on how to operate our older version of this instrument. The movies show how to:
- insert a lamp into the instrument
- set up the instrument for use
- collect data (our new instrument uses a computer instead of a chart recorder)
- shut down the instrument
Look to see the flame in the center of the instrument! This is where we measure the lead content.

We have a brief movie showing the setup of our new instrument.

Finally, you can see a silly set of credits that show what can happen if you don't use the instrument correctly!

Flame Tests: Flame tests allow you to determine the metal ions present by the color of the flame. Can you determine the metal ions present?
- Five unknown ions
Harvey Mudd College Mission Statement: “Harvey Mudd College seeks to educate engineers, scientists and mathematicians well versed in all of these areas and in the humanities and the social sciences so that they may assume leadership in their fields with a clear understanding of the impact of their work on society.”