WHAT IS THE GAS GIVEN OFF BY A BURNING CANDLE? 



Materials. A candle ; a piece of wire ; a clean bottle ; limewater (prepared by dissolving slaked 

 lime in water and using the clear water that may be poured off). 



Directions. Suspend a short lighted candle by means of a wire and lower it into a clean bottle or 

 glass. Cover the container as completely as possible and observe what happens. Why does the can- 

 dle cease to burn? Now remove the candle, quickly pour about 10 cubic centimeters of limewater 

 into the bottle, and, with a glass cover on the bottle, shake the contents vigorously. Observe what 

 takes place. Limewater is clouded by carbon dioxide. This cloudiness is due to a new compound 

 which settles at the bottom. The gas which forms a white compound with limewater is called 

 carbon dioxide. 



Additional problems. Leave a wide dish of limewater exposed for 24 hours. What occurs ? Explain. 

 By use of a glass tube blow your breath into a bottle of limewater, and explain what occurs. 

 Hold an empty bottle over a gas flame ; then pour limewater into the bottle. Explain results. 



