Introducing the Bunsen Burner

Have you ever started that first lab of the year with students who have assured you that they know all about lighting a Bunsen burner, and suddenly complete mayhem breaks out?! You have students turning every knob, screams everywhere, and one student has completely screwed the top of the burner barrel off, left the gas flowing full-stream into the room, as he comes to pull on your sleeve to show you part of the burner in his hand. And, one student in the back has pulled off the burner tubing and lit the gas outlet just to make sure it was working—complete with shrills and shrieks! You are sick of your name by the end of the day because it has been called out 14,000 times. With the teacher demonstration and burner lab activity included in this lesson, your students will master lighting and using the Bunsen burner, learn exactly how the Bunsen burner works, and, yes, even know that the word Bunsen is capitalized and why. You will not have to worry about Bunsen burners again for th