6th Science

Name: _________________________
Name: _______________________________
Unit 1:Unit
Scientific
Method
1: Scientific
Method

Lab Activity

Mr. Cullen

Date: _________________________
Date: ___________________

The Scientific Method in Action:

The Candle in the Beaker
1. CHOOSE A PROBLEM

2. __________________ YOUR PROBLEM

A flame is the visible part of a fire.
A fire needs oxygen, fuel, and heat to burn.

In the case of a candle, the wax is the fuel. Oxygen comes from
the air, and the heat comes from the match.

When a candle is burned, it produces mostly carbon dioxide

gas and water vapor
3. DEVELOP YOUR HYPOTHESIS
If

then

because
4. WRITE YOUR PROCEDURES
Materials:

_______________________
_______________________
_______________________

6th Science

Name: _________________________
Name: _______________________________
Unit 1:Unit
Scientific
Method
1: Scientific
Method
Mr. Cullen

Lab Activity

Date: _________________________
Date: ___________________

_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
Procedures:

1. Place a piece of clay on the spout of the large beaker.

2. Place the candle on the table, and use a match to light the
candle.

3. Place the large beaker upside down over the candle. As soon
as the beaker is in place, start your timer.

4. Stop the timer as soon as the flame goes out.

5. Record the length of time it took for the flame to go out.

6. Repeat Steps 1-5 using the smaller beaker.
5.

TEST YOUR HYPOTHESIS

6.

ANALYZE YOUR DATA

Trial
1

(large
beaker)

Length of Time that

the Flame Burned

Qualitative Observations

6th Science

Name: _________________________
Name: _______________________________
Unit 1:Unit
Scientific
Method
1: Scientific
Method
Mr. Cullen

Lab Activity

Date: _________________________
Date: ___________________

2
(small

beaker)

7.

STATE YOUR CONCLUSIONS

Our hypothesis was ___________________. A candle needs oxygen to

burn. There is less oxygen in a small beaker than a large beaker.

Therefore, the flame will go out more quickly in a small beaker than in
a large beaker.