Lasics, Abrahams, Foertsch
Determining melting point of wax
Procedure
The melting temperature of the wax will be determined by a Thiele tube.
Materials
1. Candles 1
2. Thiele tube
3. 100 mls of cooking oil (estimated)
4. Capillary tubes 2-3
5. Bunsen burner and gas
6. Laboratory stands 2 or one with two bars
7. Cross and flask clamps 2 of each
8. Small Rubber band
9. Thermometer with good response time and 0-100ºc minimum (we used glass)
10. Stopwatch
11. Note book or spreadsheet
Steps
1. Fill a capillary tube with wax by using the end to scoop out wax into the tube about 0.5 cm is fine
2. Prepare thermometer
a. Add capillary tube so that its end is close to the bulb without touching it and secure with
a rubber band as high as possible (if the band is submerged in oil it will melt)
b. Add a wire to hang the thermometer (maybe unnecessary or impossible depending on
clamps and thermometer)
3. Set up laboratory stand with two vertical bars (or two stands)
a. Add to each bar a cross clamp and flask clamp
4. Prepare Thiele tube
a. Add cooking oil to the tube until the fill level is 0.5-2 cm above circulation tube
b. Add tube to flask clamp on laboratory stand
5. Connect Bunsen burner to gas
6. Prepare trial
a. Set the Bunsen burner under and 10-15cm below the Thiele tube
b. Add thermometer to opposite stand and lower the bulb into the oil submerging the wax in
1-2 cm of oil
7. Run trial
a. Light Bunsen burner using low heat and place it under the tube as indicated in 6a (the oil
must be heated gradually so the thermometer remains accurate)
Lasics, Abrahams, Foertsch
b. Start stopwatch
c. Observe temperature and wax
d. When the wax melts it will clear or float when this happens stop timer and record
temperature
8. Repeat steps 1-7 at least once
Results
Error & Improvements
● Instead of using the a glass thermometer, we need to use a thin digital thermometer with a smaller
mass it would update faster and be more accurate than a glass thermometer.
0
