Wednesday, July 09, 2008

A Bunsen burner is a piece of lab equipment that is used to heat up substances during a laboratory experiment. Most labs these days have switched over to the electric version called a hot plate. Hot plates have less potential for flammability, and produces a cleaner heat that is adjustable. Bunsen burners are still used in classrooms and laboratories around the world. Most lab technicians are familiar with the way they work. A Bunsen burner is a small gas burner with an adjustable flame, you remember the ones from Science Class, don't you? The flame is manupulated at the base by controlling the amount of gas and air allowed into the burner. The Bunsen burner consists of a metal tube which is connected to a base that is weighted. The base has a nozzle that allows you to connect it to a fuel source, as well as a gas valve and a flue adjuster (Just like in your fireplace at home). The flue adjuster controlls how much air is allowed through tiny air holes at the base of the tube. The gas then mixes with the air at the bottom of the tube then rises to the top of the Bunsen burner, where it acn be lit with at match or lighter. Do you know who the Bunsen burner was named after? It was named after the Scientist who was the authority in a lab where it was invented. He was not the actual inventor. Robert Wilhelm Bunsen was a renowned Chemist in Germany in the 1800's. He was searching for a way to provide clean, safe air for his lab. One of his assistants was the one who actually invented the Bunsen burner, his name was Michael Faraday, another lab assistant streamlined the design, his name was Peter Desaga. The re-design was finally named the Tirrill Burner. The burner allowed for greater control over the flame, it's height and how intense the flame could get. So, it worked and quickly became associated with Bunsen's lab. The result of it's popularity gavie it the name the Bunsen burner.