In this experiment we were testing for hydrogen gas. For an explosion to occur, the hydrogen gas and oxygen must first mix. Without a source of energy nothing would happen, yet when we introduced the glowing splint, which was warmer than room temperature, there was an explosion and a sound resulted. If we had not created the correct gas, the explosion would not have occurred.
This is useful to know so that we are always careful to never mix hydrogen gas and oxygen around anything hot, which is not likely to happen in everyday life, but hydrogen can be used in a variety of ways and so it is still useful to know in case we are ever in the situation.
In this experiment we were testing for the gas oxygen. I know that this was successfully produced because the ember was lit when it entered the test tube. A fire occurs when there is enough heat, fuel and oxygen and we had 2 of those factors in the beginning. For the fire to have started we would have needed to have produced oxygen, which we did.
This is useful information to have in case of a fire. It is good to know that if we can somehow take away the oxygen factor, the fire triangle will be incomplete and the fire will not be able to keep burning, this is why smothering a small fire works.
In this experiment we were testing for carbon dioxide. We can tell that this was produced because the flame went out when it reached the inside of the test tube. Carbon dioxide cuts off the supply of oxygen to the flame. Since it is heavier, it covers the fire and does not allow it to come in contact with the needed oxygen.
This is useful to know because it shows two things, one is that if the flame is very small it may be possible to be put out by blowing on it, since we exhale carbon dioxide. The second thing is that it once again shows that if you can manage to somehow take away the oxygen factor in the fire triangle the flame will go out.