
Room Temperature and Candle Burn Rate
Medium
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.
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.
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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