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Bunsen Burner

Key Stage 3

Meaning

A picture of Bunsen Burner with a yellow flame.

A Bunsen Burner is a piece of equipment used for heating.

About Bunsen Burners

Bunsen Burners use a flammable gas which burns to produce a flame.
A Bunsen Burner has a valve at the bottom to allow in air. This valve can be turned to allow more or less air for combustion.
If the valve on a Bunsen Burner is open it lets a lot of oxygen in so the flame may appear blue or may be difficult to see. This is a roaring flame at a high temperature.
If the valve on a Bunsen Burner is closed less oxygen gets in, so the flame may appear yellow. This 'safety flame' is at a lower temperature. It is safer because it can be more easily seen and is a lower temperature.
BunsenBurnerDiagram.png
A diagram of a Bunsen Burner.

Key Stage 4

Meaning

A picture of Bunsen Burner with a yellow flame.

A Bunsen Burner is a piece of equipment used for heating.

About Bunsen Burners

Bunsen Burners use a flammable gas which burns to produce a flame.
A Bunsen Burner has a valve at the bottom to allow in air. This valve can be turned to allow more or less air for combustion.
If the valve on a Bunsen Burner is open it lets a lot of oxygen in so the flame may appear blue or may be difficult to see. This is a roaring flame at a high temperature.
If the valve on a Bunsen Burner is closed less oxygen gets in so there is incomplete combustion, so the flame may appear yellow due to glowing particles of soot. This 'safety flame' is at a lower temperature. It is safer because it can be more easily seen and is a lower temperature.
BunsenBurnerDiagram.png
A diagram of a Bunsen Burner.

References

AQA

Bunsen burners (using), page 290, GCSE Combined Science Trilogy; Biology, CGP, AQA
Bunsen burners (using), page 370, GCSE Biology, CGP, AQA
Bunsen burners, page 127, GCSE Biology; The Revision Guide, CGP, AQA
Bunsen burners, page 238, GCSE Combined Science; The Revision Guide, CGP, AQA
Bunsen burners, page 239, GCSE Combined Science Trilogy; Chemistry, CGP, AQA
Bunsen burners, page 317, GCSE Chemistry, CGP, AQA

Edexcel

Bunsen burners, page 112, GCSE Chemistry; The Revision Guide, CGP, Edexcel
Bunsen burners, page 211, GCSE Combined Science; The Revision Guide, CGP, Edexcel
Bunsen burners, page 318, GCSE Biology, CGP, Edexcel
Bunsen burners, page 337, GCSE Physics, CGP, Edexcel
Bunsen burners, pages 319, 325, GCSE Chemistry, CGP, Edexcel

OCR

Bunsen burners, page 105, GCSE Chemistry; The Revision Guide, CGP, OCR Gateway
Bunsen burners, page 111, Gateway GCSE Biology; The Revision Guide, CGP, OCR
Bunsen burners, page 223, Gateway GCSE Combined Science; The Revision Guide, CGP, OCR
Bunsen burners, pages 148, 264, Gateway GCSE Chemistry, Oxford, OCR