Practical: Bunsen Burner

We went to the RGS Laboratory to learn about the different parts of the Bunsen burner, the purpose of each of the parts and how to light the Bunsen burner. After that, we also designed an experiment to find out the hottest part of the non-luminous flame from the Bunsen burner.

Activity 1: Naming the parts of the Bunsen burner

Functions

Air holes: To allow air to enter the burner (Oxygen is required for burning. Therefore the air hole is opened to allow the oxygen to enter, resulting in the burning of the gas to produce the flame.)

Barrel: (Where gas and air are mixed) To raise the flame to a suitable height for heating/burning

Base: To support the burner and make it more stable

Collar: To control the amount of air entering the burner (In other words, control the size of the air hole).

Gas Intake Tube: To allow the gas from the gas supply to rush into the burner.

Gas Tap: To control the amount of gas supplied to the burner.

Steps to light the Bunsen burner:

1. Attach the gas intake tube (rubber tube) to the gas tap.

2. Close the air hole by turning the collar.

3. Have the lighter ready; positioned at the top of the barrel

4. Turn the gas tap on completely and strike the lighter immediately and continuously until the burner is lit.

5. Turn the gas tap until the flame is about 5cm tall.

6. Turn the collar until the air hole is half opened.

Activity 2: Procedure of experiment to find out which part of the (Blue) Bunsen flame is hottest:

1. Light the Bunsen burner.

2. Adjust the air hole by turning the collar, to get a suitable non-luminous flame.

3. Use the metal tongs to hold one copper wire at the inner blue cone.

4. Hold the copper wire at the same position for 30 seconds.

5. Observe and record the changes in the copper wire.

6. Repeat steps 3, 4 and 5, holding the copper wire in the outer yellow cone instead.

Observations/Results

Conclusion: The tip of the inner blue cone is the hottest part of the Bunsen flame.