Kitchen Extinguisher

Try putting out a candle by making your own fire extinguisher using things you find in the kitchen.

What you need:

• cup/glass
• vinegar
• bicarb soda
• something to cover the top of the glass, eg. a notecard
• candle

What to do:

1. Light the candle.
2. Put 1-2 teaspoons of bicarb soda into your glass.
3. Pour about 1/2 cup of vinegar into your glass.
4. Quickly cover the top of the cup with a notecard or something to trap everything inside the glass.
5. Wait until the bubbling inside the glass stops.
6. Remove the notecard and tip the glass towards the flame of the candle.

What happens:

The candle should go out. When you mix bicarb soda and vinegar, you are making carbon dioxide (CO₂). Holding a notecard over the top of the glass traps the carbon dioxide inside. Flames need oxygen to burn. When you tip your glass towards the flame, the carbon dioxide is pushing the oxygen out of the way, so the flame goes out. Carbon dioxide is heavier than oxygen, so you can actually do this experiment by holding the glass over the top of the glame and gently tipping the cup until the liquid reaches the rim of the glass. The carbon dioxide will fall down onto the candle, putting it out.