Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1909-01-29
HOW MANY FIRES START.

The Coal Oil or Kerosene
Lamp--the Chemistry
Many children are badly burned and
some burned to death by the blowing
up-and the overturning of coal oil
lamps. When lamp explodes, or IS
dropped or knocked over and broken,
burning oil is splashed about and the
clothes of persons within reach of this
liquid tire begin to burn upon their
bodies.
= All the facts of the chemistry of
fire, and Of explosion as well, can be
told in simple story of what occurs
in the light Of coal oil lamp. While
the lamp burns the oil slowly dis
appears, being changed to gases
which cannot be seen. Kerosene, be-
ing the thinnest of oils, sold for use in
lamps, is drawn rapidly to the top of
the wick.
When a match flame is touched to
the oil In the wlck's top its heat
1Oosens the atoms of carbon and
hydrogen, of which the oil is made.
They then unite with atoms of
oxygen of the air. for which they have
a greater attraction than they have for
each other. This causes a flame.
ATOMS THAT ARE GREEDY.
Each carbon atom is so greedy that
it seiZess two atoms of oxygen from
the air to form carbonic acid, while
each pair of hydrogen atoms takes one
of oxygen to form water. The carbonic
acid, which is gas, and the water in
the form of vapor are carried out of
the top of the chimney.
Gunpowder and dynamite do not
need air to burn them because they
already contain oxygen. Having
oxygen of their own they can be set
afire by spark and exploded while
shut in gun or cannon. The force
of an explosion is from the solid
matter being quickly changed to gas
which takes up hundreds of times
more room.
THE USE OF CHIMNEY. sT4
The chimney of lamp forces the
current of fresh air caused by the
rising of the heated air within 1T, to
pass close to the flame, so that oxygen
can be taken from it. This move
ment of air is called draft.
Light is made by the particles of
they are burnt up. The hottest flames
make no light
Do not try to blow out lamp while
the flame is high. Dong so may
break the chimney or force the flame
RI +o ho To- RI
explosion. Turn the wick down until
the blaze is half its usual size and
then blow over the chlmney's top; not
down it. To turn the tlaze quite low
and blow into the burner IS more
dangerous II the top of the wick is
above the top of the tube when the
lamp is not lighted. oil will be drawn
up and will run over the lamp.
HOW DOES A LAMP EXPLODE?
The heating of the brass in the
burner may warm the oil until it
gives off a vapor in the lamp globe. II
the wick is too small to fill the tube
the flame will flash down to this vapor
and the lamp Will blow up.
The screen must be kept open so the
flame can breathe. If the chimney IS
not clear down to the burner, the
lamp smokes because the flame gets too
much air. When lamp WICK is too
high it smokes because there is too
much fuel for tie air supply.
The brass in the burner and collar
should be kept clean and bright so
that the heat will pass off, Only
dirty burners heat lamps so as to make
them explode. When a burner can
not be rubbed bright 1t should be
thrown away because it is dangerous.
A lamp should not be set in the sun
nor close to a fire. nor hung to the
ceiling over table on which lamp
is used.
FILLING THE LAMP.
When lamp that has been burning
needs to be filled, do not take off the
burner near another light or a fire.
The vapor IN the bowl OF the lamp
may expand until it reaches blaze
ana explodes. Flaming oil is then
thrown over every one who is near.
Above ali, remember that filing a
lamp without first putting 1T out is
very dangerous.
When two thirds of the oil In
lamp has been used 1T should be filed
again. Once each week the oil left in
a lamp should be poured back into the
can through a piece of cloth on a
funnel to filter 1T clear This Is to
remove dirt which has settled to the
bottom. ,.
THE WICK.
The char should be removed from
the wick every day. When a wick is
half burned up q new one should be
put IN. A lamp cared for in this way
will give bright, white light and will
n Dain With