The Flame Tube Project (and Contest Coming Soon!)

Science
The Flame Tube Project (and Contest Coming Soon!)


Happy (almost) July 4th! Looking for more of the โ€œrocketโ€™s red glare?โ€ The current issue of MAKE, Volume 26, features a DIY project I wrote called โ€œThe Flame Tube.โ€ Itโ€™s one of my favorite fiery projects from my new book The Practical Pyromaniac because it’s quite the eyecatcher, it demonstrates some good science, and it has a bit of historical backstory. The flame tube is a 110 year old demonstration that allows onlookers to visualize standing sound waves.

Based on the work of German quantum physics pioneer, Heinrich Rubens, I designed this flame tube so propane gas inside the tube flows through holes drilled along the top, and flames are then lit above. I send a sound wave into the tube with a loudspeaker at the other end. When the tube is driven at one of its resonance frequencies, flames form a visual standing wave pattern, as you can see in the picture. Vary the pitch and change the volume to get different patters. Cool!

Heads Up: Flame Tube Video Contest
MAKEโ€™s editors, in a display of extraordinary beneficence, have put the Flame Tube project on Make: Projects. I am working with Chicago Review Press (The Practical Pyromaniac’s publisher) to put together a Flame Tube contest with exciting prizes awarded for the best flame tube vid posted on YouTube. More to come… So start building your flame tube!

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The Flame Tube

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William Gurstelle

William Gurstelle is a contributing editor of Make: magazine. His new book, ReMaking History: Early Makers is now available.

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