Van de Graaff Candle

Materials: ★★☆ Available in most school laboratories or specialist stores
Difficulty: ★★☆ Can be done by science teachers
Safety: ★★★ Only to be attempted with adequate safety procedures and trained staff

Categories: Van de Graaff Generator

Alternative titles: Electrical Wind

Summary

A candle placed near the dome of a Van de Graaff generator responds to the electric field by deflecting its flame.

Procedure

- Set up the Van de Graaff generator with a discharge rod nearby.

  1. Place a lit candle in a holder so that the flame is level with the dome and about 6 inches away.
  2. Turn on the generator and observe how the candle flame deflects toward or away from the dome.
  3. For a stronger effect, position the candle between the dome and the discharge rod and watch the flame dance as ions move in response to the electric field.
  4. When finished, turn off the generator and safely discharge the dome with the grounding rod.

Physics demo: Fire plus Van De Graaff - Rhett Allain:


📄 Van de Graaff - Candle - IOWA Department of Physics & Astronomy: https://instructional-resources.physics.uiowa.edu/5b3040-van-de-graaff-candle

Variations

Safety Precautions

Questions to Consider