Michael Faraday's The Chemical History of a Candle

Recommendations

Info

Guide to Lecture One A CANDLE: SOURCES OF ITS FLAME Key points of the lecture • Science is a cycle of observation, questioning, and developing theories. • The wax of the candle is the fuel. • The heat from the flame melts the wax and the molten wax travels up the wick via capillary action. • The melted wax is vaporized in order to burn. • The shape of the flame is due to convection currents. • An ascending current of air, produced by the heat of the candle, keeps the outside edge cool and forms a cup for the melted wax.
14 The Chemistry History of a Candle • The formation of a cup at the top of the candle is important in its utility. • We can think of a large fire as a collection of small, independent flames. This first lecture begins, as with any scientific investigation, by making observations and asking questions, in this case about the burning of a candle. Inspection shows that the flame does not touch the wax, which is the fuel for the candle. Faraday notes that “when the flame runs down the wick to the wax, it gets extinguished, but it goes on burning in the part above.” The wax is a solid substance with “no vessel to contain it,” which leads to questions such as: • How does the solid wax, which will not burn when solid, get to the top of the wick where it does burn? • When the solid fuel is made a fluid, how does this fluid keep together? Close observation leads us to see that “a beautiful cup is formed” at the top of the candle, and this cup is filled with molten wax. The heat of the flame melts the wax, but this heat also produces a convection current which forces the surrounding air upward and cools the sides of the wax. This current is produced from the heat of the candle because hot air, being less dense than cold air, rises. The motion of the hot air draws cooler air upward from below the flame.
Page 2 and 3: Michael Faraday’s T he Chemic al
Page 4 and 5: Contents Lectures Preface • vii I
Page 6: Preface In this companion book to o
Page 9 and 10: 2 The Chemistry History of a Candle
Page 17 and 18: 10 The Chemistry History of a Candl
Page 22 and 23: Guide to Lecture One 15 So, the hea
Page 24 and 25: Guide to Lecture One 17 This action
Page 26 and 27: Guide to Lecture One 19 is delayed
Page 28 and 29: Lecture One A CANDLE: SOURCES OF IT
Page 30 and 31: Lecture One 23 that nicely-formed e
Page 32 and 33: Lecture One 25 before long it will
Page 34 and 35: Lecture One 27 part above. Now, let
Page 36: Lecture One 29 is only able to take
Page 48 and 49: Lecture Two BRIGHTNESS OF THE FLAME
Page 50 and 51: Lecture Two 43 through the tube to
Page 52 and 53: Lecture Two 45 larger wicks, we mus
Page 54 and 55: Lecture Two 47 of the filings I hav
Page 56 and 57: Lecture Two 49 can judge for yourse
Page 58 and 59: Guide to Lecture Three PRODUCTS OF
Page 60 and 61: Guide to Lecture Three 53 and water
Page 62 and 63: Guide to Lecture Three 55 us water,
Page 64 and 65: Guide to Lecture Three 57 that ther
Page 66 and 67: Lecture Three PRODUCTS OF COMBUSTIO
Page 68 and 69: Lecture Three 61 always the same, e
Page 70 and 71:
Lecture Three 63 inside by the cond
Page 72 and 73:
Lecture Three 65 to cause the water
Page 74 and 75:
Lecture Three 67 merely the ordinar
Page 76:
Lecture Three 69 burning, not merel
Page 79 and 80:
72 The Chemistry History of a Candl
Page 81 and 82:
Page 83 and 84:
Page 85 and 86:
Page 87 and 88:
Page 89 and 90:
Page 91 and 92:
Page 93 and 94:
Page 95 and 96:
Page 97 and 98:
Page 99 and 100:
Page 101 and 102:
Page 103 and 104:
Page 105 and 106:
Page 107 and 108:
100 The Chemistry History of a Cand
Page 109 and 110:
Page 111 and 112:
Page 113 and 114:
Page 115 and 116:
Page 117 and 118:
Page 119 and 120:
Page 121 and 122:
Page 123 and 124:
Page 125 and 126:
Page 127 and 128:
show all

Michael Faraday's The Chemical History of a Candle

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?