Which Kind of Wood Burns Slower? *
| Areas of Science |
Materials Science |
| Difficulty | |
| Time Required | Short (2-5 days) |
| Safety | Adult supervision required. |
*Note: This is an abbreviated Project Idea, without notes to start your background research, a specific list of materials, or a procedure for how to do the experiment. You can identify abbreviated Project Ideas by the asterisk at the end of the title. If you want a Project Idea with full instructions, please pick one without an asterisk.
Abstract
Do you ever go camping with your family and roast hot dogs and marshmallows over a campfire? If you want your campfire to burn long into the evening, what is the best wood to use? Do research on the necessary conditions/materials to sustain a fire and on the properties of different types of wood. Which properties do you think will be most important for determining how fast the wood burns? For example, how do you think density would be related to burning rate? Why? Measure the density and burning rate of equal-sized samples of different types of wood. For controlled burning conditions, you can either use a torch (with adult supervision) for a specified amount of time (weigh the samples before and after to determine burn rate), or place the wood samples over an evenly-spread bed of white-hot charcoal briquets (time the samples to determine burn rate). (Morgan, 2004; Johansen, 2005; Kelly, 2005)Share your story with Science Buddies!
Yes,
I Did This Project!
Please log in (or create a free account) to let us know how things went.
Cite This Page
General citation information is provided here. Be sure to check the formatting, including capitalization, for the method you are using and update your citation, as needed.MLA Style
Science Buddies Staff.
"Which Kind of Wood Burns Slower?" Science Buddies,
28 July 2017,
https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project-ideas/MatlSci_p026/materials-science/which-kind-of-wood-burns-slower.
Accessed 15 Oct. 2019.
APA Style
Science Buddies Staff.
(2017, July 28).
Which Kind of Wood Burns Slower?
Retrieved from
https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project-ideas/MatlSci_p026/materials-science/which-kind-of-wood-burns-slower
Last edit date: 2017-07-28
Bibliography
- Johansen, B.R., 2005. "The Flame Game: Which Kind of Wood Burns Faster?" California State Science Fair Project Abstract [accessed April 26, 2006] http://cssf.usc.edu/History/2005/Projects/J1112.pdf.
- Kelly, L.E., 2005. "Does Density Affect a Wood's Combustion Rate?" California State Science Fair Project Abstract [accessed April 26, 2006] http://cssf.usc.edu/History/2005/Projects/J1118.pdf.
- Morgan, D.W., 2004. "Which Wood Burns the Longest?" California State Science Fair Project Abstract [accessed April 26, 2006] http://cssf.usc.edu/History/2004/Projects/J1129.pdf.
News Feed on This Topic
Note: A computerized matching algorithm suggests the above articles. It's not as smart as you are, and it may occasionally give humorous, ridiculous, or even annoying results! Learn more about the News Feed
Share your story with Science Buddies!
Yes,
I Did This Project!
Please log in (or create a free account) to let us know how things went.
Ask an Expert
The Ask an Expert Forum is intended to be a place where students can go to find answers to science questions that they have been unable to find using other resources. If you have specific questions about your science fair project or science fair, our team of volunteer scientists can help. Our Experts won't do the work for you, but they will make suggestions, offer guidance, and help you troubleshoot.Ask an Expert
Related Links
If you like this project, you might enjoy exploring these related careers:
Industrial Engineer
You've probably heard the expression "build a better mousetrap." Industrial engineers are the people who figure out how to do things better. They find ways that are smarter, faster, safer, and easier, so that companies become more efficient, productive, and profitable, and employees have work environments that are safer and more rewarding. You might think from their name that industrial engineers just work for big manufacturing companies, but they are employed in a wide range of industries, including the service, entertainment, shipping, and healthcare fields. For example, nobody likes to wait in a long line to get on a roller coaster ride, or to get admitted to the hospital. Industrial engineers tell companies how to shorten these processes. They try to make life and products better. Finding ways to do more with less is their motto. Read more
Materials Scientist and Engineer
What makes it possible to create high-technology objects like computers and sports gear? It's the materials inside those products. Materials scientists and engineers develop materials, like metals, ceramics, polymers, and composites, that other engineers need for their designs. Materials scientists and engineers think atomically (meaning they understand things at the nanoscale level), but they design microscopically (at the level of a microscope), and their materials are used macroscopically (at the level the eye can see). From heat shields in space, prosthetic limbs, semiconductors, and sunscreens to snowboards, race cars, hard drives, and baking dishes, materials scientists and engineers make the materials that make life better. Read moreNews Feed on This Topic
Note: A computerized matching algorithm suggests the above articles. It's not as smart as you are, and it may occasionally give humorous, ridiculous, or even annoying results! Learn more about the News Feed
Looking for more science fun?
Try one of our science activities for quick, anytime science explorations. The perfect thing to liven up a rainy day, school vacation, or moment of boredom.
Find an ActivityExplore Our Science Videos
|
How to Build an ArtBot
|
Make a Slushy! Yummy STEM Project
|
Physics and Chemistry of an Explosion Science Fair Project Idea
|