Year 5 were busy being young scientists as we explored irreversible changes. Our question was simple but exciting: How quickly will a candle flame go out when covered by different sizes of glass?
We set up a small candle and timed how long the flame lasted when we placed a small, medium, and large glass over it. Before testing, the children made predictions using their knowledge of oxygen and burning.
As soon as each glass was placed over the flame, the class watched carefully. They noticed that:
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The smallest glass put the flame out the fastest.
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The larger glasses allowed the flame to burn for longer.
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Eventually, all flames went out because the oxygen inside each glass ran out — an irreversible chemical change.
Burning Flame
