Re: Fire syringe?

[Bob Muir <muirrob@hamlet.uncg.edu>]

On Fri, 15 Aug 1997, Gary Karshner wrote:

> Dwight,
>         Fisher, and probably Cenco sell a version of the fire syringe (~$20).
> their version is glass so the student can see it in operation. The cylinder is 
> made of heavy glass and can be broken if your not careful but it does
> illustrate rather nicely the increase in temperature of a nearly adiabatic
> compression.
>
>         Hope this helps.
>
> Gary Karshner
>
> St. Mary's University
> San Antonio, Texas
> KARSHNER@STMARYTX.EDU

I have found that I must be careful not to put too much cotten fiber into
the glass tube.  Put just a TINY bit and pull the fibers very much apart.
If the fibers are not well separated, they probably wont ignite no matter
how quickly you compress the air.  You need all the surface area you can
get!!

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