The Chemical History of A Candle


Read by Availle

(4.9 stars; 22 reviews)

The Chemical History of a Candle is a series of 6 lectures on chemistry presented to a juvenile audience in 1848. Taught by Michael Faraday - a chemist and physicist, and regarded as the best experimentalist in the history of science - it is probably the most famous of the Christmas Lectures of the Royal Society.

Taking the everyday burning of a candle as a starting point, Faraday spans the arc from combustion and its products, via the components of water and air (oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon), back to the type of combustion that happens in the human body when we breathe.

The final lecture "On Platinum" describes a then new method to produce large quantities of Platinum. It was delivered before the Royal Institution on February 22, 1861. (Summary by Availle.) (4 hr 32 min)

Chapters

Preface 3:30 Read by Availle
Lecture I 36:35 Read by Availle
Lecture II 32:15 Read by Availle
Lecture III 38:42 Read by Availle
Lecture IV 34:37 Read by Availle
Lecture V 39:32 Read by Availle
Lecture VI 41:32 Read by Availle
Lecture on Platinum 45:26 Read by Availle

Reviews

candles


(5 stars)

this book gives you a view off candles that you have never taken before it is truly interesting to hear about candles in a way that I had never even thought of before

great recording


(5 stars)

third time through. 👍

What do you expect of a genius?


(5 stars)

This is it! It's pretty amazing how much chemical knowledge has been amassed by the time these lectures / demonstrations had been given to an audience of children, and by Michael Faraday, no less!!!

great lectures


(4 stars)

amazing narration. a bit dated on the measurements but very detailed work.