Come to WA Branch Chemaraderie February 2023
5.30pm Tuesday 21 February 2023
The (updated) chemical history of a candle
Dr Jacob Martin
Curtin University
The (updated) chemical history of a candle
"There is no better, there is no more open door by which you can enter into the study of natural philosophy than by considering the physical phenomena of a candle." wrote Michael Faraday in his 1861 book The Chemical History of a Candle based on his 1848 and 1860 Royal Institution Christmas Lectures. In these lectures, Faraday used a series of beautifully simple experiments to encourage "we juveniles" to think scientifically through the example of a candle flame. Many, including myself, can point to this book as piquing their interest in science. It is perhaps surprising to learn that the phenomena of a candle flame is still yielding cutting-edge science. In this talk, I will update the chemical history of a candle from simple experiments, based on Faraday's lectures, through to advanced experiments performed on stadium-sized instruments and even up at the international space station. The updated picture provided is comprehensive but not complete with a few puzzles still remaining. Finally, just like Faraday we will go beyond the candle and see how these insights can help produce hydrogen, reduce climate heating and make better batteries.
Biography
Jacob Martin is a materials scientist and nanotechnologist working on climate stabilising technologies. Jacob has run the gamut in renewable/climate research including biomass-to-power, algae biofuels, solar photovoltaics, carbon capture, soot pollution reduction and carbon materials for hydrogen storage, water filtration and batteries. Jacob has a passion for communicating science and has been involved in public lectures with TEDxKingsPark, the Pint of Science festival, CREATE Climate Change Conference in Singapore, nanoart exhibitions, New Zealand-wide activities for the UNESCO Year of Light and frequently lights his hand on fire at schools. Jacob is a trained chemist, physicist and chemical engineer and completed his PhD at the University of Cambridge in 2019. In 2020 he was a Research Fellow at the Cambridge Centre for Carbon Reduction in Chemical Technology in Singapore, working with industry to decarbonise. In 2021 he took up a Forrest Fellowship in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, Curtin University in Perth, Australia working on advanced carbon materials for decarbonisation.
Date: Tuesday 21 February 2023
Time: From 5.30pm. Presentation commences at 6.00pm.
Refreshments prior and at seminar conclusion
Venue: Exhibition Area, Building 500, Curtin University
Plenty of free parking is available close to the venue at this time of day.
Cost: $12 Members, $15 Non-members, $5 students. This charge to cover refreshments (limited drinks and snacks).
Online registration is encouraged prior to attendance.