How To Put Out A Candle Without Blowing It
Put Out a Candle Without Blowing It. The Science Boffins show us another experiment that you can do at home!
WARNING- this experiment must only be carried out with an adult present
Step 1: You will need
- 1 bowl
- 1 lighter or matches
- 1 long candle
- 1 short candle.
- 100 ml Vinegar
- 0.5 tablespoon Bicarbonate of Soda
Step 2: Aim
The aim of this experiment is to blow out the flame using carbon dioxide gas
Step 3: Method
Take the two candles and place them next to each other in the bowl.
Then pour in about 100ml of vinegar. Be careful you don't spill it as this stuff really smells!
Now it's time to light the candles. Make sure there is an adult around to help you do this.
Add half a tablespoon of bicarbonate of soda, sit back, and watch. It should start to bubble furiously. A chemical reaction is taking place that is producing invisible carbon dioxide gas. The candles go out as the gas rises; the shorter one goes out first, and then the taller one.
Step 4: Conclusion
Why did this happen?
When the vinegar and bicarbonate of soda came into contact, there was a chemical reaction which created water and carbon dioxide gas.
The flame needed oxygen to keep burning. As the carbon dioxide filled up the bowl, the flame was starved of oxygen, and went out.