9 replies to this topic

[samn122]

Seriously, wtf is with some of the teachers supervising the labs? I had a lab sometime ago where half the class was hurr durring with their gas supply on for the bunsen burners without being lit. The bunsen burners were in fume chambers too but they don't even work. The procedure for opening the air ports wasn't even demonstrated. There's even a picture on the bths site of a guy pouring chemicals without gloves.

[xMrStrife]

You have it easy, I can't even hear my chem lab teacher.

[ClEMeNt]

Some assume you're smart enough to not waste gas... and not play with fire. c:
Anyways, the flames can't hurt you if you don't touch the long cylinder part. Experiment slightly with the bunsen burners. You'll get the hang of it.
I advise messing around with them only when they're off.

[samn122]

When half of the class is leaking gas from a bunsen burner, only a spark is needed to blow us all up

[Asif Mahmud]

samn122, on 04 October 2011 - 08:07 PM, said:

When half of the class is leaking gas from a bunsen burner, only a spark is needed to blow us all up

...don't you have to light up a match somewhere in that experiment?

[samn122]

Asif Mahmud, on 04 October 2011 - 08:40 PM, said:

...don't you have to light up a match somewhere in that experiment?

Yes, only the class would turn on the gas and then attempt to light the match and then stand there with the gas open when they can't light it

[ClEMeNt]

samn122, on 04 October 2011 - 09:11 PM, said:

Yes, only the class would turn on the gas and then attempt to light the match and then stand there with the gas open when they can't light it

I think you should discuss this with your fellow classmates. Not post a rant on the boards where they most likely won't see it.
Facebook, my dear.

[Asif Mahmud]

samn122, on 04 October 2011 - 09:11 PM, said:

Yes, only the class would turn on the gas and then attempt to light the match and then stand there with the gas open when they can't light it

I think you're missing the blowing up part.

[NickC]

Asif Mahmud, on 04 October 2011 - 10:17 PM, said:

I think you're missing the blowing up part.

I think you may be over reacting by just a bit. High concentrations of methane (CH₄) - (I believe this is what they use in school lab jets )is needed to combine with O₂ yielding a combustion reaction - giving you CO_{2 and} H₂O - even then, the reaction would need to be set off by a spark which is not suppose to happen anyway since anything that creates fires is prohibited in school (not talking about lab materials - match books)

In addition, since most labs are sophomore chemistry labs that require lighting stuff up, it is natural for people to give it a few tries before they get the flame. Sometimes the bunsen burner isn't working properly and the amount of oxygen intake is not sufficient to create a combustion reaction giving you the fire - sometimes people may not know how to use a match. Whatever the reasoning is, the school won't blow up...or the classroom at least. To make you feel better, tens of thousands of people have done labs in Tech alone and are still alive and kicking - some are CEOs of companies, so don't worry you won't go poof


Finally, to address your grievance about not using gloves to handle chemicals. Most of the chemicals used in a high school lab are very very very low in concentration and has been diluted by the lab specialists when they arrive. They are usually a few Molar and will not burn you if you come in contact with it on your skin - you just have to rinse you hands to wash it off (in other words, dilute it to the point where the chemicals are basically gone). In college, we use chemicals up to 15~20M and will burn you - that is when gloves are warranted...I burned a hole in my favorite pair of jeans with an acid once. Not cool. But don't worry about it for the most part. Again, if you get something on your hands, just rinse for a few minutes with water and you will be fine. But do notify your lab instructor as well.

[samn122]

NickC, on 05 October 2011 - 09:35 AM, said:

I think you may be over reacting by just a bit. High concentrations of methane (CH₄) - (I believe this is what they use in school lab jets )is needed to combine with O₂ yielding a combustion reaction - giving you CO_{2 and} H₂O - even then, the reaction would need to be set off by a spark which is not suppose to happen anyway since anything that creates fires is prohibited in school (not talking about lab materials - match books)

In addition, since most labs are sophomore chemistry labs that require lighting stuff up, it is natural for people to give it a few tries before they get the flame. Sometimes the bunsen burner isn't working properly and the amount of oxygen intake is not sufficient to create a combustion reaction giving you the fire - sometimes people may not know how to use a match. Whatever the reasoning is, the school won't blow up...or the classroom at least. To make you feel better, tens of thousands of people have done labs in Tech alone and are still alive and kicking - some are CEOs of companies, so don't worry you won't go poof


Finally, to address your grievance about not using gloves to handle chemicals. Most of the chemicals used in a high school lab are very very very low in concentration and has been diluted by the lab specialists when they arrive. They are usually a few Molar and will not burn you if you come in contact with it on your skin - you just have to rinse you hands to wash it off (in other words, dilute it to the point where the chemicals are basically gone). In college, we use chemicals up to 15~20M and will burn you - that is when gloves are warranted...I burned a hole in my favorite pair of jeans with an acid once. Not cool. But don't worry about it for the most part. Again, if you get something on your hands, just rinse for a few minutes with water and you will be fine. But do notify your lab instructor as well.

That's interesting, I've always thought propane(or maybe it was butane) was used because my teacher in my last school had yelled at students for leaving the gas on which would cause propane to collect into a pool of gas on the lab countertop.