One of my goals with these science videos is to provide support to the homeschool community. After years of writing the Experiment of the Week, and presenting science shows for homeschool groups, I have been impressed with how strongly homeschool families are involved with hands-on science. I have also seen the need for a science curriculum that fulfills their educational needs. Starting with these videos, I hope to offer the homeschool community some of the science education support that they need, as well as a fun way to get students involved with scientific discovery.
I also try to use activities that involve common items. Most homeschoolers don't have access to test tubes, flasks, chemicals, microscopes and other scientific equipment. In the future, I hope to be able to guide them to inexpensive sources for science equipment to enrich their science curriculum.
This is a fun science experiment to try the next time one of your friends had a birthday. It makes a nice addition to science or magic themed parties, but it works well anytime you have the occasion to light some birthday candles.
For this experiment, you will need:
- a birthday cake or similar candle holder
- several birthday candles
- matches or a lighter
Place the candles on the cake, grouping them very close together. You may want to put some ice cream beside the cake. It does not make the experiment work better, but it does make the experiment more enjoyable. Light the candles. As your friend prepares to blow out the candles, have a lit match or lighter ready.
As soon as the candles are blown out, you will see a column of white smoke rising from the candle. Bring the flame of the match or lighter into this smoke and it will flash back, relighting the candles..
Understanding the Science
Why does this happen? To understand, we need to know that there are different kinds of smoke. While a candle is burning, any smoke that it produces will be black. You might have noticed this black soot when you tried heating the water in your water balloon in one of the previous experiments. The black smoke is made up of tiny particles of carbon that are not burned up in the flame.
When you blow out a candle, you get smoke that is white instead of black. This white smoke is made of the unburned vapor from the hot wax. The melted wax has gotten hot enough to vaporize and form a flammable gas that would normally burn to produce the flame. Since it is not hot enough to catch fire, instead it rises from the candle. The vapor in this white smoke is very flammable. When you bring the match into the vapor, it burns. If the wax in the wick is still hot enough, this added heat will be enough to relight the candle.
You don't have to wait for someone's birthday to try this, but you really should have the ice cream, and maybe a little chocolate sauce. As long as you have permission and an adult present to help, you can do this experiment anytime.
Have a wonder-filled week.
