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Heat (Thermodynamics) Science Fair Project

Room Temperature and Candle Burn Rate

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Room Temperature and Candle Burn Rate | Science Fair Projects | STEM Projects
Does a candle burn faster in a warm room or a cool one? You light 15 identical candles in groups of five. Each group burns for 30 minutes at a different room temperature: 20, 25, or 30 degrees Celsius. You measure how much shorter each candle gets after 30 minutes. The burn length turns out to be nearly the same at all three temperatures.

Hypothesis

The hypothesis is that a candle in a colder room will burn more slowly.

Science Concepts Learned

Candle Burn Rate

Candle burn rate measures how fast a candle uses up its wax. You can track this by measuring how much shorter a candle gets over time. When 15 identical candles burn at 20, 25, and 30 degrees Celsius, the burn length is nearly the same. Room temperature does not seem to change how fast the candle shrinks.

Method & Materials

You will measure the length and diameter of 15 candles, light them in a room with air-conditioning, and measure the length of the candles after 30 minutes.
You will need 15 candles, a ruler, a caliper, a stopwatch, a match box or lighter, a room with air-conditioning, a heater, and a thermometer.

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Results

The results of the experiment showed that the length of the candle burnt away in 30 minutes was almost the same at all 3 different room temperatures. This disproved the hypothesis that a candle in a colder room will burn more slowly.

Why do this project?

This science project is interesting because it tests a common assumption about candles and provides an opportunity to learn about the science of combustion.

Also Consider

Variations of this experiment could include comparing the burn rate of candles made from different materials like soy wax or animal fat, or comparing the weight of the candle instead of the length.

Full project details

Additional information and source material for this project are available below.

Related videos

These videos explain the science behind this project and demonstrate key concepts used in the experiment.
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