Ions in aqueous solution[edit]

Name Formula Color

Alkali metals M+ Colorless

Alkaline earth metals M2+ Colorless

Scandium(III) Sc3+ Colorless

Titanium(III) Ti3+ Violet

Titanium(IV) Ti4+ Colorless

Titanyl TiO2+ Colorless

Vanadium(II) V2+ Lavender

Vanadium(III) V3+ Dark grey/green

Vanadyl VO2+ Blue

Hypovanadate V4O92- Brown

Pervanadyl VO2+ Yellow

Metavanadate VO3 Colorless

Orthovanadate VO43 Colorless

 Chromium(III) Cr3+ Blue-green-grey

Chromate CrO42 Yellow

Dichromate Cr2O72 Orange

Manganese(II) Mn2+ Very light Pink

Manganate(VII) (Permanganate) MnO4 Deep violet

Manganate(VI) MnO42 Dark green

Manganate(V) MnO43 Deep blue

Iron(II) Fe2+ Very pale green

Iron(III) Fe3+ Very pale violet/brown

Iron(III) tetrachloro complex FeCl4- Yellow/brown

Cobalt(II) Co2+ Pink

Cobalt(III)-ammine complex Co(NH3)63+ Yellow/orange

Nickel(II) Ni2+ Light green

Nickel(II)-ammine complex Ni(NH3)62+ Lavender/blue

Copper(I)-ammine complex Cu(NH3)2+ Colorless

 Copper(II) Cu2+ Blue

Copper(II)-ammine complex Cu(NH3)42+ Royal Blue

Copper(II) tetrachloro complex CuCl42 Yellow/green

Zinc(II) Zn2+ Colorless

Silver(I) Ag+ Colorless

Silver(III) in conc. HNO3 Ag3+ Dark brown

[2]
It is important to note, however, that elemental colors will vary depending on what they are
complexed with, often as well as their chemical state. An example with vanadium(III); VCl3 has a
distinctive reddish hue, whilst V2O3 appears black.
Salts[edit]
Predicting the color of a compound can be extremely complicated. Some examples include:
Cobalt chloride is pink or blue depending on the state of hydration (blue dry, pink with water) so it
is used as a moisture indicator in silica gel. Zinc oxide is white, but at higher temperatures
becomes yellow, returning to white as it cools.

Name Formula Color Picture

Copper(II) sulfate CuSO4 White

Copper(II) sulfate pentahydrate CuSO4 5H2O Blue

Copper(II) benzoate C14H10CuO4 Blue

Cobalt(II) chloride CoCl2 Deep blue

Cobalt(II) chloride hexahydrate CoCl2 6H2O Deep magenta

Manganese(II) chloride tetrahydrate MnCl2 4H2O Pink

 Copper(II) chloride dihydrate CuCl2 2H2O Blue-green

Nickel(II) chloride hexahydrate NiCl2 6H2O Green

Lead(II) iodide PbI2 Yellow

Ions in Flame[edit]
Flame Tests on cations for Alkali, Alkali Earth Metals, and Hydrogen (see atomic spectroscopy)
(see also Flame test)

Metals[edit]

Name Formula Color

Potassium K Lilac/Purple

Sodium Na Yellow/orange

Lithium Li Red

Cesium Cs Blue

Calcium Ca Brick Red

Strontium Sr Red[3]

Barium Ba Green/Yellow
Gases[edit]

Name Formula Color

Hydrogen H2 colorless

Oxygen O2 colorless

Fluorine F2 very pale yellow/brown

Chlorine Cl2 greenish yellow

Bromine Br2 red/brown

Iodine I2 dark purple

Chlorine dioxide ClO2 intense yellow

Dichlorine monoxide Cl2O brown/yellow

Nitrogen dioxide NO2 dark brown

Dinitrogen tetroxide N2O4 colorless

Trifluoro nitroso methane CF3NO deep blue

Diazomethane CH2N2 yellow

Bead tests[edit]
Main article: Bead test

A variety of colors, often similar to the colors found in a flame test, are produced in a bead test,
which is a qualitative test for determining metals. A platinum loop is moistened and dipped in a
fine powder of the substance in question and borax. The loop with the adhered powders is then
heated in a flame until it fuses and the color of the resulting bead observed.

Metal[4] Oxidizing flame Reducing flame

Aluminium colorless (hot and cold), opaque colorless, opaque

Antimony colorless, yellow or brown (hot) gray and opaque

Barium colorless

Bismuth colorless, yellow or brownish (hot) gray and opaque

Cadmium colorless gray and opaque

Calcium colorless

Cerium red (hot) colorless (hot and cold)

Chromium Dark yellow (hot), green (cold) green (hot and cold)

Cobalt blue (hot and cold) blue (hot and cold)

Copper green (hot), blue (cold) red, opaque (cold), colorless (hot)

Gold golden (hot), silver (cold) red (hot and cold)

Iron yellow or brownish red (hot and cold) green (hot and cold)

Lead colorless, yellow or brownish (hot) gray and opaque

Magnesium colorless

Manganese violet (hot and cold) colorless (hot and cold)

Molybdenum colorless yellow or brown (hot)

Nickel brown, red (cold) gray and opaque (cold)

Silicon colorless (hot and cold), opaque colorless, opaque

Silver colorless gray and opaque

Strontium colorless

Tin colorless (hot and cold), opaque colorless, opaque

Titanium colorless yellow (hot), violet (cold)

Tungsten colorless brown

Uranium Yellow or brownish (hot) green

Vanadium colorless green