Imaginative Teaching Resources & Inspirational Career Ideas from the Chilled Food Industry

Extinguish  a Candle without blowing

 

Christmas is a great time for lighting candles but do you how to extinguish a candle without blowing it? We use our store cupboard science to put out a candle!

Try this with an adult. Light a candle, we used tea light.  In a jug place a large spoonful of bicarbonate of soda and a large spoonful of vinegar and stir.  Put your hand or a plate over the jug and when you are ready take your hand or plate off the jug and pour the gas from the jug over the candle and it will go out! Watch our video to see it in action!

 

 

The Why

When we mix bicarbonate and vinegar together we create a reaction that creates carbon dioxide.  The carbon dioxide is heavier than air so sits in the jug.  When we  pour the gas from the jug onto the candle flame we are pouring out the carbon dioxide gas.  This sinks onto the flame of the candle and displaces the oxygen containing air surrounding the candle.  Without oxygen the flame goes out.

To find out more about this experiment click over to the ThoughtCo website. (external site)

 

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