Alcohols, burning demonstration

Problem Because of everyday experiences, children tend to believe in the loss of mass or of the material becoming lighter when alcohol, paper or candles are burned. Even after observing that iron wool glows, students state that the formed black substance is lighter than the iron before . Using a balance, one demonstrates that the black substance solid iron oxide is heavier due to the reaction with oxygen. These experiments show the increase in mass accompanied by the formation of a solid substance, like metal oxides or phosphorus oxide in an open system. 

If you are carrying this demonstration out with a number of the alcohols, it is probably best to start with the propanols and work your way up to the most exciting - methanol. It is possible to observe changes in the flame colour, amount of soot produced and the length of the reaction as the series of alcohols is burned. 

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