Methane on hand

Can you use methane as rocket fuel? Is it even flammable? Let's test that!

Methane is a colourless and odourless gas that is lighter than air. If you put methane in soap bubbles, they look just like ordinary soap bubbles. But methane is flammable. That is why it is in natural gas, which we use for cooking and heating. So, soap bubbles filled with methane can be set on fire. The methane burns and releases carbon dioxide (CO₂) and water.

In this experiment, you cannot burn your hand because your hand is made wet before you scoop up the soap bubbles. The water on your hand absorbs heat from the fire, keeping your hand safe. Water can absorb a lot of heat without becoming very hot itself. We call this a high 'specific heat'. The fire also causes some of the water to evaporate, taking extra heat away from your hand.

Firefighters often use water to put out fires. Cooling the fire with water removes the heat and extinguishes the fire.This is because a fire needs three things: fuel, oxygen, and heat. If you remove any of these three, the fire stops.

Methane is a strong greenhouse gas and contributes to global warming. Therefore, it is important to be careful with methane and try not to let it get into the air too much.