The Chemistry of the Miner’s Lamp				

Transcript

The screen opens with a lit miner’s lamp which with the turning of a knob, makes the light brighter and then dim again.

The following text appears:
When combined with water, calcium carbide reacts to form calcium hydroxide and the flammable gas acetylene.

The actual experiment is demonstrated with a small piece of calcium carbide being dropped onto a watch glass in which there is some water. There is the immediate appearance of a gas bubbling from the water, which when tested with a flaming splint, catches fire.

The following screen shows the chemical equation of the reaction which is 
Calcium carbide plus water gives us acetylene and calcium hydroxide.

The video ends with the demonstration of the actual use of a miner’s lamp which had been in use since about 1897 until they were later replaced with electrical bulbs running off of a battery.