NATIONAL BUNSEN BURNER DAY
National Bunsen Burner Day on March 31st each year honors the birthday of German chemist Robert Wilhelm Eberhard von Bunsen.
#NationalBunsenBurnerDay
Named after Robert Bunsen, a Bunsen burner is standard laboratory equipment that produces a single open gas flame. Labs use the Bunsen burner for heating, sterilization, and combustion. The gas can be either natural gas (usually methane) or a liquefied petroleum gas, such as propane, butane, or a mixture.
The invention of the Bunsen burner opened up new opportunities for the use of natural gas. A standard tool in chemistry, the Bunson burner is found throughout schools and laboratories worldwide. Most students become familiar with using a Bunsen burner for at least one semester during their high school career.
HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL BUNSEN BURNER DAY
- Share your experiences from science class or in the lab as a scientist using the Bunsen burner.
- Give a shout-out to your favorite science teacher or lab partner.
- You can also share your favorite experiments using the Bunsen burner.
- Learn more about Robert Bunsen, his career, and life.
- Review the main types of flame produced by the Bunsen burner and what their colors mean. What temperatures does the Bunsen burner reach, and how does this impact an experiment?
- Use #NationalBunsenBurnerDay to post on social media.
NATIONAL BUNSEN BURNER DAY HISTORY
The day commemorates the birth of Robert Wilhelm Eberhard von Bunsen and his invention of the Bunsen burner. Amazingly, depending on the source, his birthday is either March 30th or the 31st, 1811. We leave it up to you to decide.
Unfortunately, however, our research has failed to find the creator of National Bunsen Burner Day.
Bunsen Burner FAQ
Q. Are Bunsen burners still used in laboratories today?
A. Yes. Laboratories worldwide continue to use Bunsen burners or burners similar to the Bunsen.
Q. Are Bunsen burners safe?
A. The Bunsen burner is safe when used correctly. However, any tool not used with the proper safety precautions can cause injury.