Happy National Bunsen Burner Day
When I saw this on a calendar of odd national holidays, I knew immediately what picture I could use. This is a scan of a print from maybe 1997.
I was in high school and never shot on manual, but I knew how to use the P function on my Canon Rebel really well. So, I knew I needed to hold really still while my chemistry teacher demonstrated this reaction.
When I got the prints and saw how clear some of the pieces on the lab table were, I was happy. Can you believe how long we used to have to wait to see the pictures?
The day is supposed to honor the birthday of Robert Wilhelm Eberhard von Bunsen (born in 1811), the German chemist who invented the iconic laboratory heating tool in 1855. When I searched to see if schools still use gas lines (my middle school science classrooms had gas lines), the search is telling me new construction favors new technology. That open flames are being replaced with electric hot plates.
We never made things explode the way this teacher did, but it was still fun to have a valid excuse to light things on fire.
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