FLAMES 



77 



Hold the sooty spoon in a colorless Bunsen flame. What 

 happens? Why? What substance is present in excess in the 

 luminous flame? In the non-luminous Bunsen flame? 



b. Take a piece of glass tubing about 10 cm. (4 in.) long, and 

 hold it at an angle of about 45 degrees, with the lower end of the 

 tube in the central part of a large candle flame. Apply a lighted 

 match at the upper end of the tube. Can you get a gas to burn 

 there? Try the same experiment with a luminous gas flame. 

 Are the gases in the central part of the candle and gas flames 

 burning? 



c. After a candle has been burning for some time, blow out 

 the flame. At once apply a lighted match above the wick 

 but not touching it. Can you relight the candle? Try the 

 experiment again to find out how far from the wick you can 

 hold the match and still relight the flame. How does this 

 experiment show that a candle flame is 



really a burning gas? 



If possible, try the same experiment 

 with a kerosene lamp. Results? Why 

 does a kerosene lamp give off such a 

 strong odor after you have blown out the 

 flame? 



d. In the center of a luminous gas 

 flame hold the head of a match. Does 

 the head take fire? What does this show 

 as to the interior of the gas flame? Try 



the same experiment with a large candle FiG 29 



flame. 



e. An alcohol lamp can be made, if you need one, out of 

 an empty library-paste jar (Fig. 29). You can buy a round 

 wick, or you can make one out of calking twine or darning 

 cotton. 



