Playing with Fire
What did the methane say to the spark?
Year 9 Chemistry students have had a hot start to their learning this term, playing with fire! In the first topic of Chemistry, students explored the energy changes which occur during chemical reactions. In the lesson, students were able to observe the energy that is released from the combustion of methane.
First the existing bonds between methane and oxygen molecules are broken. Once the bonds are broken, the atoms (carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen) are free to rearrange themselves. The process of forming new bonds releases energy. This results in the release of heat and light, which is why the combustion of methane is exothermic. Students saw the excess energy released as light and felt the energy released as heat.
P.S- Did you know the combustion of 1 mol of methane releases 890.4 kilojoules of heat energy, which is equivalent to 212.8 kilo calories!
By the way, our students were very safe during this experiment. Although you can’t see it in the photos, the students were not in direct contact with the fire. Ahh, the brilliance of science!!
On a lighter note: What did the methane say to the spark?
“You light up my life!”
