The Chemical History of a Candle
The Natural History of a Candle ( The Chemical History of a Candle) is the title of a six-part Christmas lecture by Michael Faraday on the chemical and physical foundations of the appearance of a flame candle which he held at the turn of 1860/1861 and in 1861 appeared in book form. The book is considered one of the most successful popular science books and has been translated into numerous languages.
Faraday used the theme candle as a starting point for a comprehensive presentation of scientific findings:
"There is not a law under Which any part of this universe is governed Which does not come into play, and is touched upon in the synthesis phenomena. There is no better, there is no more open door by Which you can enter into the study of natural philosophy. "
"Under the laws by which our universe is governed in all its parts, there is none that does not come even with the natural history of the candle into consideration. Therefore, no better and more convenient gateway provides for the entrance to the study of physics. "
- 2.1 pre-release
- 2.2 Original Issue
- 2.3 Translations ( selection)
- 3.1 Literature
- 3.2 Notes and references
Work
The first edition was written by William Crookes under the full title A Course of Six Lectures on the Chemical History of a Candle in April 1861: To Which is Added a published Lecture on Platinum in the publishing of Griffin, Bohn & Co.. It contained in addition to the six-part lecture series on the natural history of the candle in addition Faraday's Friday evening lecture on 22 February 1861 platinum. The preface, although signed with Crookes name came from Charles Greville Williams ( 1829-1910 ).
Genesis
For the year 1848/1849 Faraday held a six-part Christmas lecture entitled On the Chemical History of a Candle. Charles Dickens wrote to Faraday and asked him to lecture notes, as Dickens was planning to write for his newly founded weekly magazine Household Words a summary of these and other lectures. Dickens received the desired notes and published in the issue dated August 3, 1850 by Household Words under the title The Chemistry of A Candle summary of the announced lectures.
End of 1859 founded William Crookes be sixteen -sided weekly The Chemical News and Journal of Physical Science, for which he was in search of contributions. He inquired of Faraday, if one of his employees, the Christmas lecture of 1859/1860 on the various forces of matter, and their relations to each other (English Original title: The Various Forces of Matter, and Their Relations To Each Other ) should take notes for publication. Faraday agreed, and the Christmas lecture was published January 7 in six episodes in the first volume of the Chemical News. Subsequently, it was summarized in a book published. The success encouraged Crookes repeated his approach, as Faraday of the year 1860/1861 with the help of his old notes again a Christmas lecture entitled On the Chemical History of a Candle held. For the pre-release Faraday received a fee of 14 guineas. The profits of the book sold for 3 shillings and 6 pence he was not involved.
Content
The Candle: The Flame - Its Sources - Structure - Mobility - Brightness
The candle - Production - flame of the candle - melting of fuel - capillarity - evaporation of the fuel - the shape of the flame - The rising air current - Other flames
Brightness of the Flame - Air necassary for Combustion - Production of Water
The combustible vapors in the flame - distribution of heat - the need to air - Incomplete combustion - combustion with and without flame - cause the lighting - Products of combustion
Products: Water from the Combustion - Nature of Water - A Compound - Hydrogen
Formation of water in the combustion of the candle - properties of water - Solid, liquid and gaseous states - hydrogen; Preparation and Properties - combustion of the hydrogen to water - The Voltaic pile
Hydrogen in the Candle - Burns into Water - The Other Part of Water - Oxygen
Chemical effects of electric current - electrolysis of water - formation of water from oxygen and hydrogen - composition of the water - the oxygen; Preparation and Properties
Oxygen present in the Air - Nature of the Atmosphere - Its Properties - Other Products from the Candle - Carbonic Acid - Its Properties
Composition of the atmosphere - Proof of oxygen - properties of nitrogen - Weighing of gases - air pressure and elasticity of the air - carbon dioxide; Formation and occurrence, proof of properties
Carbon or Charcoal - Coal Gas - Respiration and Its Analogy to the Burning of a Candle - Conclusion
The carbonic acid; Composition, formation and decomposition - burning coal - The process of breathing - circulation of carbonic acid in nature - ignition temperature and combustion.
Requirements
Prepublication
- A Course of Six Lectures (adapted to a Juvenile Auditory ), on the Chemical History of a Candle; by M. Faraday, DCL, FRS, Professor of Chemistry Fullerian, RI, Foreign Associate of the Academy of Sciences, Paris, & c. In: The Chemical News and Journal of Physical Science. Volume 3, Griffin, Bohn & Co., London 1861 Lecture 1 (December 27, 1860) In: Number 57, January 5, 1861, p 6-10.
- Lecture 2 (December 29, 1860) Add: No. 58 of 12 January 1861 p 24-27
- Lecture 3 (1 January 1861) Add: No. 59 of 19 January 1861 p 42-46
- Lecture 4 (3 January 1861) In: No. 60 of 26 January 1861 p 57-60
- 5th lecture ( January 5, 1861 ) In: Number 61, February 2, 1861, pp. 72-76
- 6 Lecture (8 January 1861) In: Number 62 of 9 February 1861 pp. 84-88
Original edition
- A Course of Six Lectures on the Chemical History of a Candle: To Which is Added a Lecture on Platinum. Harper & Brothers, New York 1861 Online.
Translations ( selection)
- Natural history of a candle. Six lectures for the youth, from the English transferred from Lüdicke, Robert Oppenheim, Berlin, 1871.
- Natural history of a candle. Translated, introduced and annotated edited by Günther Bugge. Philipp jun., Leipzig 1919 ( Reclam Universal -Bibliothek band 6019-6020 ), online.
- Histoire d'une chandelle. J. Hetzel, Paris, 1865.