UIUC Physics
Lecture Demonstration
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Demo # 853
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Fire Starter
Description:
A small piece of cotton is pushed into the bottom of the tube using the wire. The plunger is sealed into the tube, which is then placed in the larger plastic protective shield. The plunger is pushed down sharply, compressing and thereby heating the air within. The temperature rises high enough to ignite the cotton with a flash, which can be seen through the plastic tubes, although sometimes just smoke can be seen.
Physics Concept:
- Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics
- Work & the First Law of Thermodynamics
- Miscellaneous First Law Demos
The demonstration takes about 1 minute to perform.