Chemistry

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Video

Materials

• 1 matchbox with at least 3 matches
• 1 pair of scissors
• Safety equipment: 1 fire extinguisher

Explanation

Two things happen here that create the illusion of the levitating match. On the one hand, the match bends upwards and on the other hand, the heads of the two matches stick together.

The reason why the match bends upwards is that it gets hotter above the match than below. When the center of the tilting match is lit, the wood begins to react with the oxygen in the air. In this chemical reaction, some of the wood and oxygen are consumed while carbon dioxide and water are formed. The wood that remains becomes shrunken and fragile. Because the heat is greater above the match, the chemical reaction takes place faster there and the wood shrinks more there.

The reason that the heads of the matches stick together is that the molecules they consist of intertwine when it burns.

Experiment

You can turn this demonstration into an experiment. This will make it a better science project. To do that, try answering one of the following questions. The answer to the question will be your hypothesis. Then test the hypothesis by doing the experiment.

• How many matches can you levitate, from a single ignition?
• What happens if you start the fire somewhere else than at the center of the tilting match?

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