Given below are two statements: One is labelled as Assertion A and the other is labelled as Reason R:
Assertion (A) : BeCl$$_2$$ and MgCl$$_2$$ produce characteristic flame
Reason (R) : The excitation energy is high in BeCl$$_2$$ and MgCl$$_2$$
In the light of the above statements, choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Assertion A: BeCl₂ and MgCl₂ produce characteristic flame.

This is false. Be compounds do not produce a characteristic flame color because the excitation energy is too high for the flame to provide. MgCl₂ also does not produce a characteristic flame for the same reason (though Mg metal burns with bright white light).

Reason R: The excitation energy is high in BeCl₂ and MgCl₂.

This is true. Due to the small size and high ionization energy of Be and Mg, their excitation energies are high, which means the flame cannot provide enough energy to excite the electrons.

A is false but R is true.

This matches option 4.