Breaking Up with Combustion

Add to list Go to activity
Activity link broken? See if it's at the internet archive
This activity teaches combustion as the interaction of a fuel source and oxygen. A burning candle is observed, then extinguished—first by a glass cup placed over it to cut off the oxygen supply, then using carbon dioxide generated by vinegar and baking soda. Some background information is provided about how car engines use gasoline as fuel, and how humans use food as fuel— both are similar to how the candle uses wax as fuel. The activity is written for a kit that can be checked out of the library, but the kit is not required.

Quick Guide

Preparation Time:
Under 5 minutes
Learning Time:
5 to 10 minutes
Estimated Materials Cost:
$1 - $5 per student
Age Range:
Ages 4 - 8
Resource Types:
Activity, Experiment/Lab Activity
Language:
English

Materials List (per student)

  • 1 tea light candle
  • notebook
  • pen or pencil
  • matches
  • glass cup
  • vinegar
  • test tube
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Keywords

Subjects

  • Engineering and Technology
    • Engineering
      • Chemical Engineering
      • Fire Protection Engineering
      • Transportation Engineering
    • Technology
      • Transportation
  • Physical Sciences
    • Heat and Thermodynamics
    • Energy
      • Work and Machines
    • Chemistry
      • Chemical Reactions
    • States of Matter
      • Gases
  • Life Sciences
    • Cells
      • Cell Metabolism
    • Diversity of Life
      • Plants
    • Human Body
      • Respiration
  • The Nature of Science
    • The Scientific Process
      • Asking Questions
      • Conducting Investigations
      • Formulating Explanations
      • Communicating Results

Informal Categories

  • Transportation

Audience

To use this activity, learners need to:

  • see
  • touch

Learning styles supported:

  • Uses STEM to solve real-world problems
  • Involves hands-on or lab activities

Other

Components that are part of this resource:

This resource is part of:

Access Rights:

  • Free access

By:

  • Shaw, Maisie ; Gomez, Maria

Rights:

  • All rights reserved, Passport to Chemistry Adventure Program, Mount Holyoke College, 2010

Funding Source:

  • Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation, Inc.