Candle Investigation – How Does the Volume of Oxygen in a Beaker Affect the Burning Time of a Tea-Light Candle
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Research Question / Statement:
How does the volume of oxygen in a beaker affect the burning time of a tea-light candle.
PLANNING
Variable(s) listed
Units of variable (where appropriate)
How will you:
Change the independent variable?
Measure the dependent variable?
Control the fixed variables?
Independent Variable
(the one which you will change in the investigation)
Volume of air
(volume of beaker)
Change the size of beakers
Dependent Variable
(the one which you will be measuring (or sometimes observing) for your results data.
Burning time
Seconds
Stopwatch
Fixed variables (the ones which you must keep the same throughout the investigation to make it a fair test)
How will you control it?
Type of candle
When you start stopwatch
Type of beaker
Volume of beaker
Same type of stopwatch
Use the same candle throughout
Hypothesis:
As the beaker gets smaller, then the candle will go out faster because the oxygen gets less.
Diagram of Apparatus:
Draw, photograph or find a suitable image of the apparatus as it was set up for the investigation (not separate diagrams of each piece). Label it and include source if appropriate
Apparatus you need to conduct the experiment.
Apparatus piece
Size / volume
Quantity
Tea-light candle
Tea-light candle
Beaker
1000cm3
Beaker
600cm3
Beaker
400cm3
Beaker
250cm3
Beaker
100cm3
Lighter
Stopwatch
Plasticine
Enough to cover spout
Fireproof Mat
Method:
Tie hair up if necessary
Make sure working space is clear
Get science goggles and wear them.
Place the seat under the workspace.
Get all the apparatus ready.
Get the 1000cm3 beaker out.
Cover the beaker’s spout with plasticine.
Light the candle with the lighter (make sure you keep using the same candle).
Cover the candle with the beaker and immediately start the stopwatch.
Observe what is happening in the beaker.
Wait till the flame goes out then stop the stopwatch.
Record the time of the burning time of the candle in the table.
Repeat step 7-12 four more times with the 600cm3, 400cm3, 250cm3, and 100cm3 beakers.
Repeat steps 6-13 two more times
Table/Results/Graph:
How does the volume of oxygen in a beaker affect the amount of time a tealight candle burns.
Volume of beaker (cm3)
Burning time (seconds)
average
10,80
11,04
12,12
11.32
17,37
16,91
17,04
17.11
27,90
27,50
27,30
27.57