Do now:Copy the aim of today’s experimentAim: to explain how a candle wick works

Tuesday, April 18, 2023

Copy and complete:

We tried lighting a small piece of solid wax in a crucible using a lighted splint.

The wax... (write down your observations)

Copy and complete:

We then tried lighting a small piece of liquid (melted) wax. The wax... (write down your observations)

DANGER: DO NOT START UNTIL WE HAVE DISCUSSED SAFETY

1) Place the crucible on a tripod and gauze mat

2) Melt the wax over a very low yellow Bunsen flame.

3) Turn off the Bunsen flame and lift the crucible onto

the heat-proof tiles using tongs.

4) Be careful not to spill the hot wax.

5) Try lighting the melted wax using a lighted splint.

Keep the crucible on the tripod, Use a blue flame but use it like a blow torch under the crucible,

moving it from side to side to generate gentle heating – do a quick demo of the technique.

Using tongs, place a small piece of string, about 3 cm long, into the melted wax.

Once some wax has absorbed into the string, try lighting the string.

Write down what you observe.

Conclusion: what have we learnt?

Solid wax does / does not burn easily.

Liquid wax does / does not burn easily.

When you light a candle, you _______ the wax around the wick. The wick _______ the liquid wax and pulls it upward. The heat of the flame _______ the wax, and it is the wax _______ that burns.

Word list: vapor, absorbs, vaporizes, melt

Use a paper collar to hold a test tube horizontally.

Heat some sawdust and when a vapour is produced, test whether the vapour will burn.

Record what you observe.

Use the fire triangle to explain what you observe.

sawdust