Experiments with a Candle Flame

A candle flame is explained using simple experiments. Through a series of experiments, the combustion of a candle is explained.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• candle
• flame
• combustion
• chemistry
• experiment
• explanation
• soot
• heat
• light
• spectrum

[nedblurock]

Bad choice of words.... I was mainly concerned with the connection with soot... I'll change it in the next version...

[potatoes516]

thanks, this video helped when i was wondering why you can light the smoke of a a candle.

[kopmanchem]

Brilliant! I`m also interested in candles and Flames sizes , how to put it out and I wonder if you have idees to explain convection in a simple way?

[kamatamar86]

Good work! I am currently reading The Chemical History of a Candle by Faraday. Did you get inspired by that manuscript by any chance?

[learningtoswim65]

To see the shadow of carbon (soot) as it is produced and then consumed in the flame, search YouTube for "Chemistry of a Candle Flame".

One correction on this video. The bright light of the flame is not "reflection" from the carbon particles, it is incandescence, as the carbon particles are heated until they glow brightly just before they combine with oxygen to form CO2. This incandescence is the same as that of the heated tungsten filament in a conventional light bulb.