A Candle in The Lab

This article describes some experiments performed to obtain a spectrum of a candle, oil lamp, 60W incandescent lamp and fluorescent tube. A professional spectrometer was used of a type unlikely to be available to schools so the spectral data is provided as a service to the teaching profession. The brightness and rate of fuel consumption of a candle and oil lamp were also measured. The data obtained could provide the starting point for a discussion on green house gas emissions etc