The Invisible Force
10/11/08 - Pretty Cool
“What put the candles out? Was it a gas? Was it a liquid? The vinegar and bicarbonate of soda make a gas – carbon dioxide. This is heavier than air and so sits in the jug. When you tip the jug, it pours out. Flames need oxygen to burn (which is present in the surrounding air) – but when the carbon dioxide pours over the flame it pushes the available oxygen out of the way and the candle can’t burn any more.”
