Kaedon at 14:57, 5 November 2026

2026-11-05T14:57:22Z

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 As with all fire demonstrations, keep a fire extinguisher nearby as a precaution. This demonstration is a favorite among both presenters and students, and is often requested and performed at all grade levels. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2lwo4Q_6D8 Watch a video of this demo on YouTube!]
-==Materials==
+== Materials ==
 * Nonburning Solution
-* Ethanol or Isopropyl Alcohol
+** Ethanol or Isopropyl Alcohol
-* Water
+** Water
-* Table Salt
+** Table Salt
 * Dollar Bill & Cloth
 * 2 Small Tubs
@@ Line 12: / Line 24: @@
 * Tongs
-==Safety Precautions==
+== Safety Precautions ==
 Please read the Fire Safety section of the Demonstration Safety page before performing this demonstration.
 This demonstration requires: Safety glasses, small blast shield, fireproof gloves
-==Demonstration==
+== Demonstration ==
-===Preparation===
-Prepare the nonburning solution: In a 1 quart bottle, combine the alcohol and the water in equal amounts, making a 50/50 solution. To make the flame more visible, you may want to mix in 2-3 tablespoons of salt, which will make it a bright orange-yellow flame rather than a faint blue flame.
+;Preparation:
-===Presentation===
+== Additional Information ==
-Alcohols are extremely flammable, and burn very hot and very quickly. This is because alcohols are Volatile, which means they easily turn into a vapor and mix into the air. This means that we have to be careful about having alcohol near a fire or anything really hot, because if not carefully watched it might ignite! With the Dollar bill/cloth, we had it soaked in a solution that was half alcohol and half water. The water did not stop the alcohol from burning, and it was able to ignite and start burning quickly. However, water has a high Heat Capacity, meaning it can absorb a lot of heat before turning into steam. This means the water was able to absorb all the heat from the alcohol, and kept the dollar bill/cloth safe from the fire!
+* This demonstration pairs well with the [[Methanol Cannon]], and these two can then be used to compare the types of alcohols. Methanol is known as wood alcohol and is used in antifreeze, solvent and some fuels. Methanol is poisonous, and when ingested is broken down into formic acid and formaldehyde, or embalming fluid. Ethanol is the type of alcohol present in wine, beer and other spirits. Ethanol is also used as a fuel in vehicles, and has long been used as antiseptic.

Kaedon: Created page with "As with all fire demonstrations, keep a fire extinguisher nearby as a precaution. This demonstration is a favorite among both presenters and students, and is often requested and performed at all grade levels. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2lwo4Q_6D8 Watch a video of this demo on YouTube!] ==Materials== * Nonburning Solution * Ethanol or Isopropyl Alcohol * Water * Table Salt * Dollar Bill & Cloth * 2 Small Tubs * 2 Large Tubs * Lighter * Tongs ==Safety Precautions=..."

2026-11-04T02:00:42Z

Created page with "As with all fire demonstrations, keep a fire extinguisher nearby as a precaution. This demonstration is a favorite among both presenters and students, and is often requested and performed at all grade levels. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2lwo4Q_6D8 Watch a video of this demo on YouTube!] ==Materials== * Nonburning Solution * Ethanol or Isopropyl Alcohol * Water * Table Salt * Dollar Bill & Cloth * 2 Small Tubs * 2 Large Tubs * Lighter * Tongs ==Safety Precautions=..."

New page

As with all fire demonstrations, keep a fire extinguisher nearby as a precaution. This demonstration is a favorite among both presenters and students, and is often requested and performed at all grade levels. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2lwo4Q_6D8 Watch a video of this demo on YouTube!]

==Materials==
* Nonburning Solution
* Ethanol or Isopropyl Alcohol
* Water
* Table Salt
* Dollar Bill & Cloth
* 2 Small Tubs
* 2 Large Tubs
* Lighter
* Tongs

==Safety Precautions==
Please read the Fire Safety section of the Demonstration Safety page before performing this demonstration.
This demonstration requires: Safety glasses, small blast shield, fireproof gloves

==Demonstration==
===Preparation===
Prepare the nonburning solution: In a 1 quart bottle, combine the alcohol and the water in equal amounts, making a 50/50 solution. To make the flame more visible, you may want to mix in 2-3 tablespoons of salt, which will make it a bright orange-yellow flame rather than a faint blue flame.

===Presentation===
Set out the tubs (small tubs if using a dollar bill, large tubs if using the cloth) and fill one halfway with water. Fill the other tub with the non-burning solution, enough to cover the bottom of the tub with a thin layer. Close the bottle with the non-burning solution and move it off the table, setting it at least five feet away from the demonstration area. Put the dollar bill or cloth into the solution, and have it soak thoroughly.Explain to the audience that you will be making a fire. Have the students list the three things needed for a fire (oxygen, a fuel source, an ignition source). Explain that you will be using an alcohol, and that alcohols are flammable. Ask the students for ideas on what will happen when you ignite the dollar bill/cloth that is soaked in alcohol. During this time, put on the safety gear and use the tongs to pick up the dollar bill/cloth and hold it over the tub of water.Have students do a countdown, and ignite the dollar bill/cloth. It will burn for several seconds, but then the flame will go out, leaving it intact! dunk it briefly in the water afterwards to cool it down before handling it, and ask the students for ideas on why it didn't burn. Is there something else in the solution?
Why This Works

Alcohols are extremely flammable, and burn very hot and very quickly. This is because alcohols are Volatile, which means they easily turn into a vapor and mix into the air. This means that we have to be careful about having alcohol near a fire or anything really hot, because if not carefully watched it might ignite! With the Dollar bill/cloth, we had it soaked in a solution that was half alcohol and half water. The water did not stop the alcohol from burning, and it was able to ignite and start burning quickly. However, water has a high Heat Capacity, meaning it can absorb a lot of heat before turning into steam. This means the water was able to absorb all the heat from the alcohol, and kept the dollar bill/cloth safe from the fire!

Non-Burning Money - Revision history

Kaedon at 14:57, 5 November 2026