🎆 Burning in oxygen: virtual chemistry experiment
Magnesium, sulfur and iron burn far more fiercely in pure oxygen.
▶ Launch this experiment freeRuns in your browser on any phone, tablet or laptop. No sign-up, no install, no chemicals needed.
What you'll do
- Ignite the sulfur in the oxygen jar (blue-violet flame)
- Ignite the iron wool in oxygen (sparks!)
- Ignite the magnesium ribbon (don’t look directly!)
The chemistry behind it
Combustion is faster when there is more oxygen. Air is only about 21% O₂.
Why do this experiment virtually?
Many school labs can't run this experiment safely or don't have the chemicals. In Faradium you set it up in seconds, repeat it as often as you like, change the amounts and see the real result: colours, gases, precipitates and temperature changes. The lab notebook records every observation with the balanced equation for your write-up.
Frequently asked questions
How do you do the burning in oxygen experiment?
1. Ignite the sulfur in the oxygen jar (blue-violet flame) 2. Ignite the iron wool in oxygen (sparks!) 3. Ignite the magnesium ribbon (don’t look directly!) You can run every step free in the Faradium virtual chemistry lab.
What is the chemistry behind burning in oxygen?
Combustion is faster when there is more oxygen. Air is only about 21% O₂.
Can I do the burning in oxygen experiment online for free?
Yes. Faradium sets up the bench for you and ticks off each step as you complete it. It runs in any browser on a phone, tablet or laptop with no sign-up and no chemicals.
Chemistry in this experiment
Elements involved: Oxygen (O).
Molar masses you may need: O2.
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