Home's Cool Science: Candle Water Pump Experiment

EI Editor Posted On May 6, 2020 | Science

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64E4is5jFqg

Home's Cool!

While we're all working from home, the parents, former teachers, and play experts at EI are sharing some of their favorite educational activities to help keep your family learning and growing.

Check out this idea from Michael Sheridan, one of our EI Product Managers!

Ages: 5-12

Grades: K-6

Supplies:

• Drinking Glass

• Tea Candle

• Plate

• Water

• Food Coloring (recommended for visual aid)

• Coin (optional for visual aid)

• Lighter **Adult Supervision Required

Procedure:

1. Fill a glass with water, add some food coloring, and stir (this will make the results easier to see).

2. Pour the colored water onto a plate.

3. Place the candle in the center of the plate and have an adult light the candle.

4. Place the empty glass upside down over the candle.

5. Watch until the candle burns out and water starts to fill the glass.

6. If you have a large enough glass and another tea candle, repeat the experiment placing the glass over two candles at once and see if the result changes!

Explanation:

This is a demonstration of pressure. The air trapped inside the glass is heated up by the burning candle and it is hotter than the air outside the glass in the room. The hot air inside the glass wants to escape, and it tunnels out the bottom of the glass – those are the bubbles you see coming out around the edge of the glass!

The candle needs oxygen to burn, so when all of the oxygen inside the glass is used up the candle burns out. Then, the air trapped inside the glass starts to cool down. This creates a vacuum or “empty” air inside the glass. The air in the room around you wants to go into the glass and fill this vacuum. When the air in the room does this, the air forces the water into the glass with it. The water stops filling the glass once the pressure inside the glass is the same as the pressure in the room around you!

EI Product Manager Michael Sheridan is a jack of all trades! An avid surfer and former international soccer competitor, this outdoor and sporting enthusiast also has a degree in Astrophysics from UCLA and eight years of product development experience in a variety of industries. Prior to helping build EI's science products and brain game lines, Michael developed everything from folding chairs to electric scooters and skateboards!

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