Activity

Exploding Flour

In this activity, students observe the teacher igniting flour when it is in a basic combustion chamber.

Diagram of a combustion chamber from exploding flour activity

Combustion chamber

Diagram of a combustion chamber as used in the exploding flour activity.

Rights: The University of Waikato Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato

By the end of this activity, students should be able to:

  • understand how surface area of fuel affects fire behaviour – the more surface area, the more quickly ignition will take place.

Download the Word file (see link below) for:

  • introduction/background notes

  • what you need

  • what to do

  • scientific explanation.

Related content

Fire behaviour explores the variables that influence fire.

These are some common misunderstandings about fire. They acknowledge that children have made reasonable sense of the ideas based on their experience. Keep them in mind while teaching – and address them as they come up.

Published:18 November 2009