Activity 1 1/18/11 Burning Candle Observations

What is burning? Show the chemical formula and an image of the structure.
When you light a candle, you melt the wax in and near the wick. The wick absorbs the liquid wax and pulls it upward. The heat of the flame vaporizes the wax, and it is the wax vapor that burns.

 

Write the chemical reaction.

C₂₅H₅₂ + 38O₂ ---->

Write the balanced chemical reaction.

C₂₅H₅₂ + 38O₂ = 25CO₂ + 26H₂O