The Chemical History of a Candle

The Chemical History of a Candle was the title of a series of six lectures on the chemistry and physics of flames given by Michael Faraday at the Royal Institution in 1848 as part of the series of Christmas lectures for young people founded by Faraday in 1825 and still given there every year. The lectures described the different zones of combustion in the candle flame and the presence of carbon particles in the luminescent zone. Techniques for weighing gases on a balance are demonstrated. Atmospheric pressure is described and its effects demonstrated.