Energy Transferred by Radiation
Energy and Thermal Physics

Radiation from Bunsen flames

Practical Activity for 14-16 PRACTICAL PHYISCS

Class practical

A simple comparison of the infra-red radiation from two Bunsen flames.

Apparatus and Materials

For each group of students

  • Bunsen burners, 2
  • Insulating screens

Health & Safety and Technical Notes

Set up insulating screens with central apertures 1 metre from each flame. Then there is no danger of students putting their hands too close.

Read our standard health & safety guidance

Procedure

Light the two Bunsen burners and adjust them so that one flame is clear blue and the other yellow. Ask students to hold the back of their hand about 1 metre from the flames so that they can compare the energy radiating from each.

Teaching Notes

  • The object of the experiment is to decide which flame is hotter.
  • If the air-hole collars of the burners are easy to adjust, students may use a single burner and change the flame from clear to yellow.

This experiment was safety-tested in March 2006

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Energy Transferred by Radiation
appears in the relation ΔQ=PΔt
is a special case of Energy Transferred by Heating
is used in analyses relating to Radiative Heating
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