Bunsen Burner Practice Background Info
Mrs. Zeiders
Bunsen Burner Parts
a) The barrel burner tube) is the area where the air and gas mix.
b) The collar (where the air vent is) can be turned to adjust the intake of
air. If you turn the collar so that the holes are larger, more air will be
drawn into the barrel.
c) The air vent openings are the holes in the collar through which the
air is drawn.
d) The base supports the burner so that it does not tip over.
e) The gas intake tube brings the supply of gas from the outlet to the
burner.
f) The gas control valve is the small valve on the bottom of the Terrell
burners that allows easier manipulation of gas concentration
Safety
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If you choose not to wear safety glasses you are choosing to sit out the lab
If anything goes wrong immediately close the lab bench fuel valve
If you cannot get the burner to light within about 15 sec then immediately close the lab bench
fuel valve and wait for assistance
Never ever leave the burner unattended!
Keep flammable substances (like your lab papers) far away from the burner
Be careful not to touch objects recently heated by the burner: hot glass looks just like cold
glass!
Flames and hot objects can cause fires and burns: use caution at all times
Collar
Lighting the Bunsen Burner:
Step 1: The first step is to check for safety – proper attire, long hair tied back (including bangs), safety
glasses on, books and papers away from the flame, apparatus set up not too close to the edge of the
table and sitting flat so it doesn’t turn over...
Step 2: The second step is to make sure the needle valve under the Bunsen burner is all the way to the
right so that it’s closed. This is so that the flame does not automatically shoot out of the Bunsen
burner as soon as it is hooked up to the gas tube which will be connected to the gas inlet. Then,
connect the Bunsen burner to the gas tube and connect the other end to the gas outlet, making sure to
adjust the Bunsen burner so that it is sitting FLAT on the table.
Step 3: Wait for the teacher's permission, then loosen the needle valve underneath the Bunsen burner
with three turns to the left in order to allow gas to flow. After this has been successfully loosened,
you should also turn the metal collar to the left to allow air into the Bunsen burner (only about a
millimeter of space should be noticeable). VERY IMPORTANT – MAKE SURE YOU ADJUST THE
BUNSEN BURNER ONE LAST TIME TO SIT FLAT ON THE TABLE BEFORE PROCEEDING.
Step 4: Light the Bunsen burner. Turn on the gas outlet by turning it to face the same direction as the
gas tube. (See the picture on P.2) Immediately after turning on the gas, holding the striker over the
top of the Bunsen burner FACING AWAY FROM YOUR BODY and use your thumb to strike it so
that a flame ignites. Then immediately move your hand out of the way.
Gas OFF:
Gas ON:
Step 5: Adjust the flame by turning the collar so that you have the appropriate flame for the
experiment (it should look like the roaring blue flame below).
The "coolest" flame is a
yellow / orange color. It
is approximately
300°C. It is never used to
heat anything, only to
show that the Bunsen
burner is on. It is called
the safety flame.
The medium flame, also
called the blue flame or the
invisible flame is difficult to
see in a well-lit room. It is
the most commonly used
flame. It is approximately
500°C.
The hottest flame is called the
roaring blue flame. It is
characterized by a ½-inch
dark blue triangle in the
middle and it is the only
flame of the 3 which makes a
noise. It is approximately
700°C.
Step 6: During the experiment, stay alert so that if a problem occurs, you are ready to turn off the
flame quickly. This means that you should not leave your table unattended. All papers stay flat on
the table during the experiment to avoid catching fire. ANY FORM OF HORSEPLAY OR
INAPPROPRIATE USE OF THE STRIKER WILL RESULT IN A ZERO ON THE LAB AND
IMMEDIATELY REMOVAL FROM THE CLASSROOM!!
Step 7: To turn off the flame, NEVER touch the Bunsen burner. Instead, turn the gas inlet to the off
position. Only after the flame is completely out, turn the knob underneath the Bunsen burner all the
way to the right to close it and disconnect the gas cord from each end.
Bunsen Burner Practice Pre Lab
Mrs. Zeiders
Name __________________________ Per _____
Every student must have the pre-lab done before being able to participate in the practice session.
What are the safety concerns for this lab
including Bunsen burner use?
Using the lab handout, correctly draw and label a
Bunsen burner setup.
Which direction should the striker face as you are trying to light the Bunsen burner?
What should your flame look like? Describe it in detail.
What is the correct procedure to put out your flame?
Bunsen Burner Practice
Practice lighting the Bunsen Burner at least once. Follow the steps in the background information that
you read for your pre-lab.
Once you feel confident lighting the Bunsen Burner, call Mrs. Zeiders over and show her that you can
successfully light the Bunsen Burner.
Get her signature here: