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A Chemical History of a Candle
The greatest experimental scientist Michael Faraday delivered these six lectures at London's Royal Institution. Their subjects include the components, function, and weight of the atmosphere; capillary attraction; the carbon content in oxygen and living bodies; respiration and its analogy to the burning of a candle; and much more. Numerous illustrations.
150 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1861
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2063 people want to read
About the author
Michael Faraday
297 books100 followersMichael Faraday, FRS (22 September 1791 – 25 August 1867) was an English scientist who contributed to the fields of electromagnetism and electrochemistry. His main discoveries include those of electromagnetic induction, diamagnetism and electrolysis.
Although Faraday received little formal education, he was one of the most influential scientists in history. It was by his research on the magnetic field around a conductor carrying a direct current that Faraday established the basis for the concept of the electromagnetic field in physics. Faraday also established that magnetism could affect rays of light and that there was an underlying relationship between the two phenomena. He similarly discovered the principle of electromagnetic induction, diamagnetism, and the laws of electrolysis. His inventions of electromagnetic rotary devices formed the foundation of electric motor technology, and it was largely due to his efforts that electricity became practical for use in technology.
As a chemist, Faraday discovered benzene, investigated the clathrate hydrate of chlorine, invented an early form of the Bunsen burner and the system of oxidation numbers, and popularised terminology such as anode, cathode, electrode, and ion. Faraday ultimately became the first and foremost Fullerian Professor of Chemistry at the Royal Institution of Great Britain, a lifetime position.
Faraday was an excellent experimentalist who conveyed his ideas in clear and simple language; his mathematical abilities, however, did not extend as far as trigonometry or any but the simplest algebra. James Clerk Maxwell took the work of Faraday and others, and summarized it in a set of equations that is accepted as the basis of all modern theories of electromagnetic phenomena. On Faraday's uses of the lines of force, Maxwell wrote that they show Faraday "to have been in reality a mathematician of a very high order – one from whom the mathematicians of the future may derive valuable and fertile methods." The SI unit of capacitance, the farad, is named in his honour.
Albert Einstein kept a picture of Faraday on his study wall, alongside pictures of Isaac Newton and James Clerk Maxwell. Physicist Ernest Rutherford stated; "When we consider the magnitude and extent of his discoveries and their influence on the progress of science and of industry, there is no honour too great to pay to the memory of Faraday, one of the greatest scientific discoverers of all time".
Although Faraday received little formal education, he was one of the most influential scientists in history. It was by his research on the magnetic field around a conductor carrying a direct current that Faraday established the basis for the concept of the electromagnetic field in physics. Faraday also established that magnetism could affect rays of light and that there was an underlying relationship between the two phenomena. He similarly discovered the principle of electromagnetic induction, diamagnetism, and the laws of electrolysis. His inventions of electromagnetic rotary devices formed the foundation of electric motor technology, and it was largely due to his efforts that electricity became practical for use in technology.
As a chemist, Faraday discovered benzene, investigated the clathrate hydrate of chlorine, invented an early form of the Bunsen burner and the system of oxidation numbers, and popularised terminology such as anode, cathode, electrode, and ion. Faraday ultimately became the first and foremost Fullerian Professor of Chemistry at the Royal Institution of Great Britain, a lifetime position.
Faraday was an excellent experimentalist who conveyed his ideas in clear and simple language; his mathematical abilities, however, did not extend as far as trigonometry or any but the simplest algebra. James Clerk Maxwell took the work of Faraday and others, and summarized it in a set of equations that is accepted as the basis of all modern theories of electromagnetic phenomena. On Faraday's uses of the lines of force, Maxwell wrote that they show Faraday "to have been in reality a mathematician of a very high order – one from whom the mathematicians of the future may derive valuable and fertile methods." The SI unit of capacitance, the farad, is named in his honour.
Albert Einstein kept a picture of Faraday on his study wall, alongside pictures of Isaac Newton and James Clerk Maxwell. Physicist Ernest Rutherford stated; "When we consider the magnitude and extent of his discoveries and their influence on the progress of science and of industry, there is no honour too great to pay to the memory of Faraday, one of the greatest scientific discoverers of all time".
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
December 4, 2023
I’m just a 21st century girl standing in front of a 19th century book asking it to love her.
This book gave a resounding no.
The Chemical History of a Candle is a set of 6 lectures, intended for young minds of the 1860’s. It might as well have been written in Greek.
For me, I am not a scientist. Things like plumbing, chemistry, electricity, internet access are magic, because they work, and I have no idea how.
How do I survive in the world?
Teaming up with people strong in these areas. So I found a series of YouTube videos where the language of the lectures was modernized and had videos of the demonstrations. After the videos, I still have loads of questions to ask my scientist friends.
My scientist friend put it aptly: “It would have been better if you were learning from Bill Nye.”
Although I learned quite a bit, it was a dreadfully painful process, and I looked forward to reading this book about as much as dental work.
At least I had a good excuse to light candles.
How much I spent:
Hardcover text – Free through Mel-Cat (Michigan Library System)
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This book gave a resounding no.
The Chemical History of a Candle is a set of 6 lectures, intended for young minds of the 1860’s. It might as well have been written in Greek.
For me, I am not a scientist. Things like plumbing, chemistry, electricity, internet access are magic, because they work, and I have no idea how.
How do I survive in the world?
Teaming up with people strong in these areas. So I found a series of YouTube videos where the language of the lectures was modernized and had videos of the demonstrations. After the videos, I still have loads of questions to ask my scientist friends.
My scientist friend put it aptly: “It would have been better if you were learning from Bill Nye.”
Although I learned quite a bit, it was a dreadfully painful process, and I looked forward to reading this book about as much as dental work.
At least I had a good excuse to light candles.
How much I spent:
Hardcover text – Free through Mel-Cat (Michigan Library System)
Connect With Me!
Blog Twitter BookTube Facebook Insta
July 27, 2018
You know when you get that burning idea that says, "Oh, Lordy, I wish I had been there for those science lectures?"
Well, HERE YOU GO.
Honestly, though, this is 1861 with the actual Michael Faraday of the Faraday cages for dispersing EM currents, although he doesn't go into any of that here. These classroom lectures DO come with some really great chemical breakdowns of everything surrounding a candle all the way to some really cool metallurgy experiments, from combustion to purification, all the way to platinum.
I was particularly impressed with the means and methods he shows us how to determine the weight of elements and how to determine so much more. It's all perfectly understandable building blocks but putting them all together in this way is damn creative and fascinating. I mean, It's SCIENCE, Baby!
Never mind the oldschool measurement systems, it's still clear and everything is fairly easily convertible. I keep thinking that this would be a fantastic book to have with us if we should ever fall into another dark age. It's a perfect stepping stone to regaining lost knowledge once we slip back into the bronze age. It even gives us chemical batteries, explosives, and suction cups! All the things we absolutely need in the bathroom! :)
It's not quite as delightful a science text as some of our more modern authors, but street cred and great explanations go a LONG way. I totally recommend this for chemistry nerds.
Well, HERE YOU GO.
Honestly, though, this is 1861 with the actual Michael Faraday of the Faraday cages for dispersing EM currents, although he doesn't go into any of that here. These classroom lectures DO come with some really great chemical breakdowns of everything surrounding a candle all the way to some really cool metallurgy experiments, from combustion to purification, all the way to platinum.
I was particularly impressed with the means and methods he shows us how to determine the weight of elements and how to determine so much more. It's all perfectly understandable building blocks but putting them all together in this way is damn creative and fascinating. I mean, It's SCIENCE, Baby!
Never mind the oldschool measurement systems, it's still clear and everything is fairly easily convertible. I keep thinking that this would be a fantastic book to have with us if we should ever fall into another dark age. It's a perfect stepping stone to regaining lost knowledge once we slip back into the bronze age. It even gives us chemical batteries, explosives, and suction cups! All the things we absolutely need in the bathroom! :)
It's not quite as delightful a science text as some of our more modern authors, but street cred and great explanations go a LONG way. I totally recommend this for chemistry nerds.
June 15, 2016
I wish I could rate this book higher, but I can’t. Faraday is certifiably awesome, and it would definitely be worth a trip in a time machine to have seen his lectures. But, for me, reading them fell a little flat.
This was partially my fault, as I read a copy with no pictures, and this book would have been greatly improved by some illustrations. Nonetheless, I found it difficult and dry to follow page after page of descriptions of demonstrations—demonstrations that would have been both easy-to-follow and entertaining if seen in the flesh. A more conventional, didactic style would have made for a more pleasant read.
Again, this is not Faraday’s fault, as he designed these notes to accompany live demonstrations. And when his personality shines through in the lectures, you get a glimpse of a passionate, affable, and profound mind.
This was partially my fault, as I read a copy with no pictures, and this book would have been greatly improved by some illustrations. Nonetheless, I found it difficult and dry to follow page after page of descriptions of demonstrations—demonstrations that would have been both easy-to-follow and entertaining if seen in the flesh. A more conventional, didactic style would have made for a more pleasant read.
Again, this is not Faraday’s fault, as he designed these notes to accompany live demonstrations. And when his personality shines through in the lectures, you get a glimpse of a passionate, affable, and profound mind.
February 21, 2025
During the Christmas holidays of 1825, the Royal Institution organised a short programme of science lectures for young people. This became an annual event, which continues today. For the 1848 season, Michael Faraday gave a series of six talks called The Chemical History of a Candle. They were published in book form in 1861, soon after Faraday had repeated the series for Christmas 1860.
Ernest Hemingway once said that someone starting a book should write down the truest sentence they know and work out from there. In this beguiling series of lectures, with visual illustration from experiments involving heat, cold, balloons, explosion and implosion, Faraday explores the physics and chemistry of a candle, which he presents as a tiny model for more general processes. In effect, he follows Hemingway’s advice, taking a candle as the truest of things and working outwards. I now know that candle wax is what’s called a hydrocarbon, a substance consisting of hydrogen and carbon in combination. Lighting a candle wick causes the wax to melt and vaporise into a hot gas. This causes the hydrocarbons to start breaking down into their constituent parts of hydrogen and carbon, which are drawn up into the flame. Here they combine with oxygen in the air to produce water (hydrogen and oxygen) and carbon dioxide (carbon and oxygen). Candle combustion is basically the same as any combustion anywhere, including that driving life. As I write this review, and as you read it, we breath in atmospheric oxygen to fan our metabolic flame, breaking down food hydrocarbons to produce energy and heat, with water vapour and carbon dioxide as by-products, which we breathe out.
Faraday takes apart the process of candle burning, and the products that result, demonstrating many clever techniques of division. Fascinatingly though, Faraday doesn’t simply take things apart, but also shows them acting together as a whole. For example, he makes reference to nitrogen in the atmosphere, an abundant gas that actually suppresses burning. How does a fire suppressant gas contribute to the process of combustion? Well, an atmosphere of oxygen alone would produce an explosive, tinderbox world. Nitrogen alone would make it impossible to support the combustion that supports life. An atmosphere of oxygen existing alongside a larger proportion of nitrogen, allows a candle to burn in a controlled way for hours. I found myself considering life in these terms. There are many circumstances holding us back from shining our various lights, more problems than solutions no doubt. Although nitrogen is the dominant gas, in combination with a little oxygen, we have the chance to burn with a steady flame.
The lectures do invite this sort of thinking, the penultimate lecture encouraging the audience to consider themselves as candles and spread some illumination around.
This book was a delightful surprise. It turns out that a candle is one of the truest things I know.
Ernest Hemingway once said that someone starting a book should write down the truest sentence they know and work out from there. In this beguiling series of lectures, with visual illustration from experiments involving heat, cold, balloons, explosion and implosion, Faraday explores the physics and chemistry of a candle, which he presents as a tiny model for more general processes. In effect, he follows Hemingway’s advice, taking a candle as the truest of things and working outwards. I now know that candle wax is what’s called a hydrocarbon, a substance consisting of hydrogen and carbon in combination. Lighting a candle wick causes the wax to melt and vaporise into a hot gas. This causes the hydrocarbons to start breaking down into their constituent parts of hydrogen and carbon, which are drawn up into the flame. Here they combine with oxygen in the air to produce water (hydrogen and oxygen) and carbon dioxide (carbon and oxygen). Candle combustion is basically the same as any combustion anywhere, including that driving life. As I write this review, and as you read it, we breath in atmospheric oxygen to fan our metabolic flame, breaking down food hydrocarbons to produce energy and heat, with water vapour and carbon dioxide as by-products, which we breathe out.
Faraday takes apart the process of candle burning, and the products that result, demonstrating many clever techniques of division. Fascinatingly though, Faraday doesn’t simply take things apart, but also shows them acting together as a whole. For example, he makes reference to nitrogen in the atmosphere, an abundant gas that actually suppresses burning. How does a fire suppressant gas contribute to the process of combustion? Well, an atmosphere of oxygen alone would produce an explosive, tinderbox world. Nitrogen alone would make it impossible to support the combustion that supports life. An atmosphere of oxygen existing alongside a larger proportion of nitrogen, allows a candle to burn in a controlled way for hours. I found myself considering life in these terms. There are many circumstances holding us back from shining our various lights, more problems than solutions no doubt. Although nitrogen is the dominant gas, in combination with a little oxygen, we have the chance to burn with a steady flame.
The lectures do invite this sort of thinking, the penultimate lecture encouraging the audience to consider themselves as candles and spread some illumination around.
This book was a delightful surprise. It turns out that a candle is one of the truest things I know.
November 26, 2023
“Indeed, all I can say to you at the end of these lectures (for we must come to an end at one time or other) is to express a wish that you may, in your generation, be fit to compare to a candle; that you may, like it, shine as lights to those about you; that, in all your actions, you may justify the beauty of the taper by making your deeds honourable and effectual in the discharge of your duty to your fellow men.”
An absorbing read, but the Kindle version would have been much better with the illustrations.
An absorbing read, but the Kindle version would have been much better with the illustrations.
December 3, 2021
A friend bought this book for me for my birthday because she knows of my predilection for interesting facts. However, I had a hard time getting into this book. I don't mean to sound unthankful, and I don't want to say it because she just got this for me with the hope that I'd enjoy it, but I sort of found it boring. I also had a hard time envisioning all the experiments he did. However, I did find some of the facts interesting, and I would very much like to try some of the experiments one day myself.
December 15, 2024
من الممتع أن تقرأ كيف كان فاراداي يلقي محاضراته قبل أكثر من مائة وخمسين عاما. لكن ورود بعض الأخطاء العلمية في الترجمة أثر سلبا على التقييم. على سبيل المثال carbon dioxide ترجمت إلى حمض الكربونيك بدلا من ثاني أكسيد الكربون
April 2, 2021
Libro de divulgación filosófica (el término científico se extiende a finales del s. XIX) que invita a divulgar la ciencia "para iluminar a quienes tenéis a vuestro alrededor como si fuerais luces" y a practicar ciencia "es un buen experimento para que lo hagáis en casa". Sin duda, un lujo asistir a esas conferencias de hace más de 150años.
March 13, 2014
A series of six lectures given by the natural philosopher Michael Faraday, in which he describes what happens when a candle is lit. Written in 19th-century English, it is not a clear or precise as science books written today, but I really enjoyed it because it was lovely to take something so small and everyday as a candle and break down everything that happens with it, from how they are made to the carbon dioxide (or carbonic acid) that is produced in combustion. He even links together the combustion of a candle and human inhalation/exhalation. The knowledge that he displays is incomplete and sometimes told in a weirdly romantic fashion (especially the last paragraph), but mostly this is what I have come to expect from older science books.
A good book for a beginner and someone interested in the history of science.
A good book for a beginner and someone interested in the history of science.
May 2, 2017
It's easy to forget that until the invention of the electric lamp, most of human history survived by candlelight. I'd recommend this to any chemistry geek like me. The most remarkable thing about this book is that it contains detailed demonstrations of laboratory-scale experiments, most of which would be considered toxic and dangerous today. The section on non-ferrous extractive metallurgy is fascinating and it's a pity that the book doesn't include the Pt-Pb stability diagram.
Unfortunately, despite what it says on the eBook cover, my (free) Amazon download copy doesn't include the illustrations. I have since found free PDF reprints on the web that include the original figures.
Unfortunately, despite what it says on the eBook cover, my (free) Amazon download copy doesn't include the illustrations. I have since found free PDF reprints on the web that include the original figures.
March 18, 2019
Lovely set of scientific lectures aimed at young people on the many, many things that can be learned from a candle. I do not have a scientific background, but I was able to follow along quite well. You can find the experiments recreated on YouTube. I love how Faraday shows such tenderness towards his young audience; you can tell he was a wonderful and caring teacher. In the last lecture his insights move towards the universal and theological. Highly recommended.
March 1, 2019
I read this when I was playing with candle-making in Pittsburgh and it was a really fascinating scientific read; Written in a style that was exceptionally easy to read and follow. I purchased it more recently hoping the boys might enjoy reading it but I don't think they ever did.
January 9, 2010
I want someone to recreate these lectures; they were fun to read but my feeble mind needs visual upon which to latch. Bill Nye, are you reading this?
December 30, 2023
Leyendo este libro uno no puedo sino sentir envidia por todos aquellos estudiantes que tuvieron la oportunidad de asistir presencialmente a las sesiones de Faraday. El amor y el entusiasmo por la ciencia y el conocimiento de la naturaleza que desprende el autor es hipnotizante y estoy convencido que a día de hoy y en el futuro Faraday seguirá atrayendo y motivando el talento. Es apasionante y precioso cómo Faraday desentraña los secretos en un fenómeno tan común como la llama de una vela.
Como único comentario negativo, aunque obvio, es que el libro son los simposios transcritos de Faraday por lo que muchas veces se echa de menos el no poder estar visualizando los experimentos que se describen, lo que complica la comprensión de ciertos eventos.
Citas:
Among the readers of this book some few may devote themselves to increasing the stores of knowledge: the Lamp of Science must burn. “Alere flammam.”
You will always remember that whenever a result happens, especially if it be new, you should say, “What is the cause? Why does it occur?” and you will in the course of time find out the reason.
Como único comentario negativo, aunque obvio, es que el libro son los simposios transcritos de Faraday por lo que muchas veces se echa de menos el no poder estar visualizando los experimentos que se describen, lo que complica la comprensión de ciertos eventos.
Citas:
Among the readers of this book some few may devote themselves to increasing the stores of knowledge: the Lamp of Science must burn. “Alere flammam.”
You will always remember that whenever a result happens, especially if it be new, you should say, “What is the cause? Why does it occur?” and you will in the course of time find out the reason.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 21, 2025
Michael Faraday is considered one of the greatest scientists in history. I picked up this book out of skepticism about how much chemistry even the great Faraday knew in 1848 (the year of the lecture series given that became this book) about the burning of a candle. It turns out there was little known about the burning of a candle prior to this time, but of course it is the great Faraday that did the experiments that lead to our current understanding of how a candle burns, and it is this book that chronicles those experiments, and it is written specifically for young students of chemistry. It is a fascinating book on how to proceed with experimentation, written by one of the greatest experimentalists in history.
February 6, 2025
"Indeed, all I can say to you at the end of these lectures is to express a wish that you may in your generation be fit to compare to a candle; that you may shine as lights to those about you; that in your actions you may justify the beauty of the taper by making your deeds honorable and effectual in discharge of your duty to your fellow-men."
March 19, 2017
Amazing that so much of the combustion processes known today were understood approaching now 300 years ago.
Some of the language is scientifically out of date and a few experiments were a bit to follow in writing. So a reading of the lectures should be brisk, capturing the main points.
Some of the language is scientifically out of date and a few experiments were a bit to follow in writing. So a reading of the lectures should be brisk, capturing the main points.
June 6, 2012
I had to read this book for a senior-level combustion class that I took some years ago. Through the simple example of a candle and using easy-to-follow arguments, Faraday is able to deduce the physics involved around the flame (the capillary action of the wick, the convection currents, the combustion inside the flame) and boil it down to the level of laymen (this book is a collection of lectures he gave to children to popularize science in his day). Faraday had minimal mathematical training, and was more "visual" in his thinking and arguments (like Einstein). This book offers a fascinating insight into the mind of arguably the best experimental physicist we have known.
August 22, 2020
I recently came across this book. While going through the reviews, I found some readers are complaining that the book is less demonstrative and, therefore, hard to follow. Here is the link to the video lecture series by Bill Hammack, who demonstrates all the experiments presented in the book.
I hope this would help. Happy watching and reading!
I hope this would help. Happy watching and reading!
December 15, 2016
Don't waste your time unless you are interested in candles and science. I am not.
April 29, 2020
«So già che le mie parole saranno raccolte e poi pubblicate, ciò non mi impedirà di usare un linguaggio famigliare onde adattarmi all'intelligenza degli studenti e delle studentesse, di cui per ora mi immagino di essere il collega.»
Un classico della divulgazione ad opera di uno dei "grandi vecchi" del pensiero scientifico. Partire dalla fiammella di una semplice candela per esporre argomenti più complessi di Chimica e Fisica insospettabilmente celati dietro il funzionamento di quell'ordinario cilindretto di cera denota la grandezza delle intuizioni di questo scienziato. Nel seguire passo passo quella che, in fondo, è la trascrizione di una serie di sei lezioni per un seminario sull'argomento tenutosi alla Royal Institution di Londra e pubblicata nel 1861, sembra proprio di trovarci in compagnia del professor Faraday, lì tra i suoi studenti e colleghi, affascinati da come quell'uomo stia affrontando con disinvoltura, semplicità e linguaggio accessibile, in modo sempre discorsivo e mai pedante, con l'aiuto di numerosi esperimenti, concetti divenuti fondamentali del Sapere scientifico.
Sempre piacevole da rileggere. Imprescindibile per gli addetti ai lavori e gli appassionati delle scienze dure, adattissimo anche ai semplici lettori curiosi data l'assenza di formule.
Peccato per la traduzione non sempre effettivamente fedele all'originale. Si tratta di un'opera che meriterebbe finalmente una degna ripubblicazione.
«Non saprei meglio terminare le nostre conversazioni che esprimendo il desiderio che possiate nella vostra esistenza meritare d'essere comparati ad una candela; che possiate com'essa brillare qual fiamma per coloro che vi circondano, che possiate in tutte le vostre azioni emulare la bellezza del lucignolo, adempiendo con onore ed efficacia i vostri doveri verso i vostri simili.»
Un classico della divulgazione ad opera di uno dei "grandi vecchi" del pensiero scientifico. Partire dalla fiammella di una semplice candela per esporre argomenti più complessi di Chimica e Fisica insospettabilmente celati dietro il funzionamento di quell'ordinario cilindretto di cera denota la grandezza delle intuizioni di questo scienziato. Nel seguire passo passo quella che, in fondo, è la trascrizione di una serie di sei lezioni per un seminario sull'argomento tenutosi alla Royal Institution di Londra e pubblicata nel 1861, sembra proprio di trovarci in compagnia del professor Faraday, lì tra i suoi studenti e colleghi, affascinati da come quell'uomo stia affrontando con disinvoltura, semplicità e linguaggio accessibile, in modo sempre discorsivo e mai pedante, con l'aiuto di numerosi esperimenti, concetti divenuti fondamentali del Sapere scientifico.
Sempre piacevole da rileggere. Imprescindibile per gli addetti ai lavori e gli appassionati delle scienze dure, adattissimo anche ai semplici lettori curiosi data l'assenza di formule.
Peccato per la traduzione non sempre effettivamente fedele all'originale. Si tratta di un'opera che meriterebbe finalmente una degna ripubblicazione.
«Non saprei meglio terminare le nostre conversazioni che esprimendo il desiderio che possiate nella vostra esistenza meritare d'essere comparati ad una candela; che possiate com'essa brillare qual fiamma per coloro che vi circondano, che possiate in tutte le vostre azioni emulare la bellezza del lucignolo, adempiendo con onore ed efficacia i vostri doveri verso i vostri simili.»
August 25, 2024
::انطباع عام::
=========
يكمن الملل في الكتاب هو أنه محاضرة مرئية ومسموعة لو تم التعامل معها كمجرد محاضرة مكتوبة فلن تكون بلا أي متعة ولا حتى قابلة للفهم. لذلك هذا الكتاب يُفضل قراءته إما بالتوازي أو بعد مشاهدة مجموعة المحاضرات الست التي قدمها هاماك على يوتيوب لكي يتخيل العناصر المرئية والمسموعة للعناصر المستخدمة في التجارب المختلفة التي كان يقدمها فارادي أثناء إلقاءه لهذه المحاضرات:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrHnL...
***
::في سطور::
========
1_ هو سلسلة من ست محاضرات ألقاها مايكل فاراداي في المعهد الملكي في عام 1848، كجزء من سلسلة محاضرات المعهد الملكي لعيد الميلاد التي أسسها فاراداي في عام 1825 وما زالت تُلقى هناك كل عام.
2_ وصفت المحاضرات مناطق الاحتراق المختلفة في لهب الشمعة ووجود جزيئات الكربون في المنطقة المضيئة. وشملت العروض إنتاج وفحص خصائص غازات الهيدروجين والأكسجين والنيتروجين وثاني أكسيد الكربون. تم عرض خلية التحليل الكهربائي، أولاً في الطلاء الكهربائي لموصلات البلاتين بالنحاس المذاب، ثم إنتاج غازي الهيدروجين والأكسجين وإعادة تركيبهما لتكوين الماء. تمت دراسة خصائص الماء نفسه، بما في ذلك تمدده أثناء التجميد (تنفجر الأوعية الحديدية بسبب هذا التمدد)، والحجم النسبي للبخار الناتج عن تبخر الماء. تم عرض تقنيات وزن الغازات على الميزان. تم وصف الضغط الجوي وإثبات تأثيراته.
3_ يؤكد فاراداي على أن العديد من العروض التوضيحية والتجارب التي يتم إجراؤها في المحاضرات يمكن أن يقوم بها الأطفال في المنزل ويقدم العديد من التعليقات فيما يتعلق بالاهتمام المناسب بالسلامة.
في عام 2016، نشر بيل هاماك سلسلة فيديو للمحاضرات مع تعليقات وكتاب مصاحب. لا تزال أفكار فاراداي تستخدم كأساس للتدريس المفتوح حول الطاقة في المدارس الابتدائية والثانوية الحديثة. وفتحت هذه المحاضرات الباب أمام تبسيط العلوم للأطفال واليافعين بأسلوب شيق ومبهر.
***
::الكتاب::
=======
المحاضرة 1: الشمعة: اللهب - مصدره - تركيبه - الحركة - اللمعان
المحاضرة 2: الشمعة - لمعان الشعلة، الهواء ضروري للاحتراق - تكون الماء
المحاضرة 3: النواتج: الماء الناتج عن الاحتراق - طبيعة الماء - المركب - الهيدروجين
المحاضرة 4: الهيدروجين في الشمعة - يحترق في الماء - الجزء الآخر من الماء - الأكسجين
المحاضرة 5: الأكسجين موجود في الهواء - طبيعة الهواء المحيط بنا - خواصه- نواتج أخرى تصدر عنالشمعة - حمض الكربونيك - خواصه
المحاضرة 6: الكربون أو الفحم - غاز الفحم - التنفس ومشابهته لاحتراق الشمعة - الخلاصة
ملحق: محاضرة عن البلاتين
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::التأثير::
======
1_ هذا الكتاب مخصص لليافعين الذين يناسبهم بشكل جيد، كمقدمة لدراسة الكيمياء. ووفقًا لفرانك ويلكزيك: "إنه كتاب رائع يعرض حقائق مدهشة وبنية معقدة في عملية مألوفة (ظاهريًا) - احتراق شمعة. أعتقد أنه يُظهر عقلًا مبدعًا بشكل رائع في العمل على أرضه الأصلية، حيث يتعمق في التفاصيل ويتتبع الخصوصيات حتى جذورها من خلال تجارب مصممة بعناية."
2_ وفقًا لبيل جريفث: "يستخدم فاراداي الشمعة كرمز للحديث عن طبيعة الاحتراق - كيف نحتاج إلى الأكسجين من الهواء، وكيف يتم إنتاج الماء وثاني أكسيد الكربون والدور الخفي للهيدروجين. النص شاعري ومُعبر عنه بشكل جميل، وينقل حماسه الواضح وإحساسه بالإثارة. كان هناك العديد من العروض التوضيحية المصاحبة، والتي غالبًا ما تنطوي على انفجارات وأضواء ساطعة. يتحدث فاراداي بشكل محبب عن نفسه وجمهوره باعتبارهم فلاسفة، وفي إحدى المناسبات، باعتبارهم صغارًا."
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يكمن الملل في الكتاب هو أنه محاضرة مرئية ومسموعة لو تم التعامل معها كمجرد محاضرة مكتوبة فلن تكون بلا أي متعة ولا حتى قابلة للفهم. لذلك هذا الكتاب يُفضل قراءته إما بالتوازي أو بعد مشاهدة مجموعة المحاضرات الست التي قدمها هاماك على يوتيوب لكي يتخيل العناصر المرئية والمسموعة للعناصر المستخدمة في التجارب المختلفة التي كان يقدمها فارادي أثناء إلقاءه لهذه المحاضرات:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrHnL...
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::في سطور::
========
1_ هو سلسلة من ست محاضرات ألقاها مايكل فاراداي في المعهد الملكي في عام 1848، كجزء من سلسلة محاضرات المعهد الملكي لعيد الميلاد التي أسسها فاراداي في عام 1825 وما زالت تُلقى هناك كل عام.
2_ وصفت المحاضرات مناطق الاحتراق المختلفة في لهب الشمعة ووجود جزيئات الكربون في المنطقة المضيئة. وشملت العروض إنتاج وفحص خصائص غازات الهيدروجين والأكسجين والنيتروجين وثاني أكسيد الكربون. تم عرض خلية التحليل الكهربائي، أولاً في الطلاء الكهربائي لموصلات البلاتين بالنحاس المذاب، ثم إنتاج غازي الهيدروجين والأكسجين وإعادة تركيبهما لتكوين الماء. تمت دراسة خصائص الماء نفسه، بما في ذلك تمدده أثناء التجميد (تنفجر الأوعية الحديدية بسبب هذا التمدد)، والحجم النسبي للبخار الناتج عن تبخر الماء. تم عرض تقنيات وزن الغازات على الميزان. تم وصف الضغط الجوي وإثبات تأثيراته.
3_ يؤكد فاراداي على أن العديد من العروض التوضيحية والتجارب التي يتم إجراؤها في المحاضرات يمكن أن يقوم بها الأطفال في المنزل ويقدم العديد من التعليقات فيما يتعلق بالاهتمام المناسب بالسلامة.
في عام 2016، نشر بيل هاماك سلسلة فيديو للمحاضرات مع تعليقات وكتاب مصاحب. لا تزال أفكار فاراداي تستخدم كأساس للتدريس المفتوح حول الطاقة في المدارس الابتدائية والثانوية الحديثة. وفتحت هذه المحاضرات الباب أمام تبسيط العلوم للأطفال واليافعين بأسلوب شيق ومبهر.
***
::الكتاب::
=======
المحاضرة 1: الشمعة: اللهب - مصدره - تركيبه - الحركة - اللمعان
المحاضرة 2: الشمعة - لمعان الشعلة، الهواء ضروري للاحتراق - تكون الماء
المحاضرة 3: النواتج: الماء الناتج عن الاحتراق - طبيعة الماء - المركب - الهيدروجين
المحاضرة 4: الهيدروجين في الشمعة - يحترق في الماء - الجزء الآخر من الماء - الأكسجين
المحاضرة 5: الأكسجين موجود في الهواء - طبيعة الهواء المحيط بنا - خواصه- نواتج أخرى تصدر عنالشمعة - حمض الكربونيك - خواصه
المحاضرة 6: الكربون أو الفحم - غاز الفحم - التنفس ومشابهته لاحتراق الشمعة - الخلاصة
ملحق: محاضرة عن البلاتين
***
::التأثير::
======
1_ هذا الكتاب مخصص لليافعين الذين يناسبهم بشكل جيد، كمقدمة لدراسة الكيمياء. ووفقًا لفرانك ويلكزيك: "إنه كتاب رائع يعرض حقائق مدهشة وبنية معقدة في عملية مألوفة (ظاهريًا) - احتراق شمعة. أعتقد أنه يُظهر عقلًا مبدعًا بشكل رائع في العمل على أرضه الأصلية، حيث يتعمق في التفاصيل ويتتبع الخصوصيات حتى جذورها من خلال تجارب مصممة بعناية."
2_ وفقًا لبيل جريفث: "يستخدم فاراداي الشمعة كرمز للحديث عن طبيعة الاحتراق - كيف نحتاج إلى الأكسجين من الهواء، وكيف يتم إنتاج الماء وثاني أكسيد الكربون والدور الخفي للهيدروجين. النص شاعري ومُعبر عنه بشكل جميل، وينقل حماسه الواضح وإحساسه بالإثارة. كان هناك العديد من العروض التوضيحية المصاحبة، والتي غالبًا ما تنطوي على انفجارات وأضواء ساطعة. يتحدث فاراداي بشكل محبب عن نفسه وجمهوره باعتبارهم فلاسفة، وفي إحدى المناسبات، باعتبارهم صغارًا."
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May 25, 2017
This book was mentioned in Richard Feynman's The Meaning Of It All:
This book is a transcript of the lecture, yet the language and the explanation is brilliant! Unfortunately the copy I read didn't have the illustration figures, try and find one. It should make the learning more fruitful.
Will definitely revisit this book.
And then electricity, the forces of attraction, of plus and minus, are so strong that in any normal substance all the pluses and minuses are carefully balanced out, everything pulled together with everything else. For a long time no one even noticed the phenomenon of electricity, except once in a while when they rubbed a piece of amber and it attracted a piece of paper. And yet today we find, by playing with these things, that we have a tremendous amount of machinery inside. Yet science is still not thoroughly appreciated.
To give an example, I read Faraday's Chemical History of a Candle, a set of six Christmas lectures for children. The point of Faraday's lectures was that no matter what you look at, if you look at it closely enough, you are involved in the entire universe. And so he got, by looking at every feature of the candle, into combustion, chemistry, etc...
This book is a transcript of the lecture, yet the language and the explanation is brilliant! Unfortunately the copy I read didn't have the illustration figures, try and find one. It should make the learning more fruitful.
Will definitely revisit this book.
March 23, 2023
التقيم نجمه واحده للفيزياء والكيمياء المستخدمه والمذكورة عن طريق مايكل فاراداي.
كتاب يتكلم عن حقائق الكيميائيه والفيزيائيه المتعلقه حول الشمعه مثل الاحتراق والتبخر والتقطير والاضاءه والظل وغيرها من الأمور العلميه. تعود سلسلة حلقات التاريخ الكيميائي لشمعة ل محاضرات مايكل فاراداي قبل زمن طويل. الكتاب عباره عن ٦ محاضرات ألقاها العالم لمجموعه من الناس.
ملاحظة ايجابية:
- الطابع العام للكتاب (طريقه استخدام الصور) كلاسيكي قديم، عجبني
ملاحظة سلبيه:
- تقرأ شابتر كامل = محاضرة كامله لمايكل فاراداي ولا تفهم شي والسبب يعود الى ان المُحاضر كان يستخدم نماذج كثيره من الشموع ويضرب عليها أمثله وهذا للأسف لم تكن هذي النماذج مسجله بشكلها ومصوره.
- توجدة كثير من صور الشمعات وصور تجارب لكن للأسف ليست مستخدمه في سياق الكلام
- الكتاب نقل لنا الدروس السته في التاريخ الكيميائي لشمعة بنصوص خطابه منقوله وليس دروس علميه يستفاد منها.
- العالم فاراداي استخدم طريقة الخطابه واحضر معاه امثله كثيره من الآلات والتجارب العمليه وهذا اسلوب (مرئي ومسموع) ولكن هذا الكتاب نقل لنا الكلمات الملقاة على آذان المستمعين وفقط كلمات لا تحمل معاها بحث علمي ولا اثبات نظريات ولا خبره تجارب ولا حتى شرح امثله متانسقه.
- ما يسوى المبلغ اللي شريت فيه الكتاب
كتاب يتكلم عن حقائق الكيميائيه والفيزيائيه المتعلقه حول الشمعه مثل الاحتراق والتبخر والتقطير والاضاءه والظل وغيرها من الأمور العلميه. تعود سلسلة حلقات التاريخ الكيميائي لشمعة ل محاضرات مايكل فاراداي قبل زمن طويل. الكتاب عباره عن ٦ محاضرات ألقاها العالم لمجموعه من الناس.
ملاحظة ايجابية:
- الطابع العام للكتاب (طريقه استخدام الصور) كلاسيكي قديم، عجبني
ملاحظة سلبيه:
- تقرأ شابتر كامل = محاضرة كامله لمايكل فاراداي ولا تفهم شي والسبب يعود الى ان المُحاضر كان يستخدم نماذج كثيره من الشموع ويضرب عليها أمثله وهذا للأسف لم تكن هذي النماذج مسجله بشكلها ومصوره.
- توجدة كثير من صور الشمعات وصور تجارب لكن للأسف ليست مستخدمه في سياق الكلام
- الكتاب نقل لنا الدروس السته في التاريخ الكيميائي لشمعة بنصوص خطابه منقوله وليس دروس علميه يستفاد منها.
- العالم فاراداي استخدم طريقة الخطابه واحضر معاه امثله كثيره من الآلات والتجارب العمليه وهذا اسلوب (مرئي ومسموع) ولكن هذا الكتاب نقل لنا الكلمات الملقاة على آذان المستمعين وفقط كلمات لا تحمل معاها بحث علمي ولا اثبات نظريات ولا خبره تجارب ولا حتى شرح امثله متانسقه.
- ما يسوى المبلغ اللي شريت فيه الكتاب
July 7, 2024
I picked up this book because Faraday claims that most things can be understood by studying a candle, which is a pretty major claim I had to look into. Overall I don’t know if I’d agree with his assessment but I was really surprised just how many aspects of science he ended up exploring through the lens of a burning candle. Bio-chemistry; atmospheric pressure; chemical combinations, all of it can be found in a candle, and I loved it. I really enjoyed this book. Faraday clearly adores candles, and fire, and burning things in front of an audience, and it’s really fun to join him for his experiments.
Admittedly, I already had a bit of experience with Faraday before I started this book and I definitely found it necessary to actually watch his experiments elsewhere (there’s some great videos on YouTube for that), but overall this book is very straightforward and very fun, and you end up looking at the world and candles in a completely different way. (Although it might need to be reread a few times just to keep it all in your head)
Admittedly, I already had a bit of experience with Faraday before I started this book and I definitely found it necessary to actually watch his experiments elsewhere (there’s some great videos on YouTube for that), but overall this book is very straightforward and very fun, and you end up looking at the world and candles in a completely different way. (Although it might need to be reread a few times just to keep it all in your head)
November 10, 2017
An amazing account of the life of a candle! Considering this series of lectures and demonstrations took place in the 17th century, the noteworthy aspect is the variety and the ingenuity of the experiments that were devised to analyse the combustion process that occurs in an otherwise seemingly mundane candle. The candle, merely a light provider with so many complexities up its waxy sleeve. The language used is of a very quaint style; now would be considered unscientific. The fact that Carbon-di-oxide is called carbonic oxide, makes me realise how far science has progressed in all kinds of ways- in the way experiments and findings are presented. After reading this book, it makes me want to go back to the 17th century era to witness Faraday demonstrating these experiments to the public. In the last lecture, Faraday concludes with a philosophical thought comparing all of us to candles. All I can say is, Alere Falammam!
March 7, 2025
Finally got this read. I ended up starting over after beginning a year and a half ago. I don’t know why I did get very far before because I couldn’t stop reading it today. Finished it in one day. A couple years ago I read two books about Faraday, so it was very cool to read his own words. He must have been an amazing teacher. I thought his narration was quite easy to follow most of the time. I do look forward to watching the YouTube rendition soon to see the demonstrations, but I thought the writing was pretty clear. I’m looking forward to sharing this with my kids. The copy I read had a lecture about platinum at the end (Living Book Press). It was sad to read about his failing memory and desire to retire.
March 1, 2025
This might just be the oldest copy of a book I've ever touched in my life... printed in 1861... insanely rare.
Can't believe that this lecture series was taught to those at university - when the majority of this is GCSE-level content with a brief hint of A-Level chemistry/physics... insanity.
Also find it pretty cool how Faraday, in his lecture on platinum, taught the welding process by word alone - with no experimentation whatsoever, as he establishes in the final page with an apology that he could not provide demonstrations.
Borrowed from the Bill Bryson Library, Durham University!
Can't believe that this lecture series was taught to those at university - when the majority of this is GCSE-level content with a brief hint of A-Level chemistry/physics... insanity.
Also find it pretty cool how Faraday, in his lecture on platinum, taught the welding process by word alone - with no experimentation whatsoever, as he establishes in the final page with an apology that he could not provide demonstrations.
Borrowed from the Bill Bryson Library, Durham University!
December 2, 2024
So- this book made interesting how much science is happening when you light a candle in your home. While I was reading I felt frustrated at first because I wasn’t watching the experiments that he describes and it was so hard to visualize. Then I thought- someone HAS to have done these on YouTube and found that someone has not only done these on YouTube, they have done them alongside of the lecture texts. So much better! This made me feel like I was back in high school science, but on the fun days when the teacher would light something on fire.🔥
1000 Books to Read Before You Die
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
1000 Books to Read Before You Die
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
January 11, 2025
Portions of this book were hard for me to push through, in that I’m not particularly in physics or chemistry. His explanations were very good, and as a teacher I recognized many elements of great teaching in his lectures. Why the five star review? The connections he drew between the science and the wonder of humanity, our responsibilities on this planet, and our connections to one another were breathtaking. He also helped me to see, several times, that things are literally not what they appear to be.
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