Bunsen burner

NAME: Bunsen burner

ALTERNATIVE NAME/S: none

DETAILS/DESCRIPTION: Used in scientific laboratories for heating substances and a familiar sight to high school and college students studying chemistry, the Bunsen burner operates on the principle of combining controlled amounts of air with flammable gas before ignition. It can produce a hotter and cleaner-burning flame than other heating devices that mix the gas with the air right at the point of combustion.

 The burner consists of a metal tube on a stand and a long rubber tube connected to a gas supply, typically containing natural gas combined with propane and butane.  Turning on the gas supply releases gas into the metal tube.  The air valve at the bottom of the metal tube is then adjusted to allow air to enter and mix with the gas. Pressure from the gas supply forces this mixture to the top of the tube, and when ignited with a match or a sparker, a pale blue, smokeless flame is produced.  The temperature of the flame is controlled by increasing or decreasing the amount of air in the tube; opening the air mixture valve allows the flame to burn hotter and larger, while closing the valve causes the flame to burn cooler and smaller. 

The burner was developed by German chemist Robert Bunsen* in 1855, but Bunsen actually did not invent it.  He is credited with establishing the concept of premixing gas and air prior to combustion, but conflicting sources have attributed the original design to Peter Desdega, Faraday*, or Argand*.

ONELINER: The Bunsen burner

OTHER CONNECTIONS: None

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

EB, DSB 

Taylor, Harriet V. "Bunsen burner." World Book Online Reference Center.Feb. 2004. World Book, Inc. 26 Jan. 2004. .