
THE CHEMICAL - HISTORY OF A CANDLE - A COURSE OF LECTURES DELIVERED BEFORE A JUVENILE AUDIENCE AT THE ROYAL INSTITUTION - BY - MICHAEL FARADAY, D.C.L., F.R.S. - EDITED BY - WILLIAM CROOKES, F.C.S. - A NEW IMPRESSION, WITH ILLUSTRATIONS - LONDON
PREFACE
W. CROOKES. - LECTURE I. - A CANDLE: THE FLAME—ITS SOURCES—STRUCTURE—MOBILITY—BRIGHTNESS - LECTURE II. - BRIGHTNESS OF THE FLAME—AIR NECESSARY FOR COMBUSTION—PRODUCTION OF WATER - LECTURE III. - PRODUCTS: WATER FROM THE COMBUSTION—NATURE OF WATER—A COMPOUND—HYDROGEN - LECTURE IV. - HYDROGEN IN THE CANDLE—BURNS INTO WATER—THE OTHER PART OF WATER—OXYGEN - LECTURE V. - OXYGEN PRESENT IN THE AIR—NATURE OF THE ATMOSPHERE—ITS PROPERTIES—OTHER PRODUCTS FROM THE CANDLE—CARBONIC ACID—ITS PROPERTIES - LECTURE VI. - CARBON OR CHARCOAL—COAL-GAS—RESPIRATION AND ITS ANALOGY TO THE BURNING OP A CANDLE—CONCLUSION - LECTURE ON PLATINUM. - NOTES. - THE CHEMICAL HISTORY OF A CANDLE - LECTURE I. - A CANDLE: THE FLAME—ITS SOURCES—STRUCTURE—MOBILITY—BRIGHTNESS.
LECTURE II. - A CANDLE: BRIGHTNESS OF THE FLAME—AIR NECESSARY FOR COMBUSTION—PRODUCTION OF WATER.
LECTURE III. - PRODUCTS: WATER FROM THE COMBUSTION—NATURE OF WATER—A COMPOUND—HYDROGEN.
LECTURE IV. - HYDROGEN IN THE CANDLE—BURNS INTO WATER—THE OTHER PART OF WATER—OXYGEN.
LECTURE V. - OXYGEN PRESENT IN THE AIR—NATURE OF THE ATMOSPHERE—ITS PROPERTIES—OTHER PRODUCTS FROM THE CANDLE—CARBONIC ACID—ITS PROPERTIES.
LECTURE VI. - CARBON OR CHARCOAL—COAL-GAS—RESPIRATION AND ITS ANALOGY TO THE BURNING OF A CANDLE—CONCLUSION.
SUGAR.
LECTURE ON PLATINUM.
Step into a classroom where a single flame becomes a doorway to the whole of chemistry. The lecturer unfolds the story of illumination, from primitive pine‑torches to the sleek paraffin candles of the modern age, showing how each advance marks a step in human civilisation. With gentle humor and clear examples, the talks invite listeners of any age to see a candle not just as a source of light, but as a living textbook.
The series dissects the candle’s flame: its structure, the air it needs, and the way it produces water, hydrogen and oxygen. By following the transformation of wax into gases, carbonic acid and carbon dioxide, the listener discovers how the same principles govern everything from respiration to coal‑gas. Each lecture ties a tiny chemical reaction to larger natural laws, making abstract concepts feel tangible.
Designed for youthful curiosity, the presentation blends vivid demonstrations with lively explanations, turning ordinary materials into fascinating experiments. Listeners come away with a fresh appreciation for the everyday glow that powers our evenings and a deeper understanding of the invisible forces that keep it burning.
Language
en
Duration
~3 hours (221K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Clare Boothby, Richard Prairie and the PG Online Distributed Proofreading Team Revised by Richard Tonsing.
Release date
2004-12-26
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1791–1867
From a London bookbinder’s apprentice, he became one of the great experimental scientists of the 19th century. His work on electricity, magnetism, and chemistry helped lay the groundwork for the modern technological world.
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