Using a Bunsen Burner

Bunsen Burner Components The components of a Bunsen Burner are:

SafetyFirst Step

Check for the following:

Long hair is tied back or under a hair net.

Wearing safety glasses.

Laboratory coat is on.

Books and papers are away from Bunsen burner.

Bunsen burner apparatus set up is not too close to the edge of the bench.

Reminder: Never leave Bunsen burner unattended

Lighting the Bunsen BurnerFirst Step

Check for the following:

Check the position of gas supply tap is in the “off” position.

Lighting the Bunsen BurnerSecond Step

Check that hole(s) at the bottom of the burner are closed.

Holes Open Holes Closed

Lighting the Bunsen BurnerThird Step

Wait for the teacher’s permission, then light the match. (Note: Some people prefer to turn the gas on and light the match

afterwards. The problem is that if the match breaks or goes out, the gas

is leaking out of the burner while you get a new match)

Lighting the Bunsen BurnerFourth Step

Light the Bunsen burner. When you have a flame from the match, turn the gas on. Approach the match to the top of the Bunsen burner and the burner should light.

Lighting the Bunsen BurnerFifth Step

Adjust the flame by turning the barrel so that you have the appropriate flame for the experiment (usually the medium blue flame). The barrel is at the bottom of the burner.

Using the Bunsen BurnerFirst Step

Adjust the Bunsen burner flame. Turn the barrel until there is an inner blue cone. The tip of the inner blue cone is the hottest part of the flame.

Using the Bunsen BurnerSecond Step

Hold the test tube at the hottest part of the flame.

During the experiment, stay vigilant, so that if a problem occurs you can turn off the gas. This means you should not leave the Bunsen burner

unattended.

Using the Bunsen BurnerThird Step

When finished turn off the gas and the flame should go out.

Don’t burn yourself. The only part of a Bunsen burner which gets

hot is the top. The rest of the burner is safe to touch. The barrel for example is safe to touch so the flame can be adjusted at any time, especially when the Bunsen burner is on.

However, anything above the flame can get very hot. Since hot metal looks the same as cool metal, you should always assume that

something is hot.

Good luck and stay safe!

Using a Bunsen Burner Powerpoint presentation written by Bruce MacRae for Unit EDED20491

– ICT’s for Learning Design

References:

1. Bunsen Burner - Pointers (2015) Retrieved from http://www.mr-damon.com/experiment/bunsen /pointer.htm

2. Bunsen Burner – Lighting (2015) Retrieved from http://www.mr-damon.com/experiment/bunsen /lighting.htm