Brain Teasers
Burning Question
How can paper burn without any damage?
Hint
Try to rub out the problem.Answer
Soak the paper in 50% isopropyl alcohol.Then, the alcohol burns and the paper does not.
Alcohol molecules do not bond as tightly, so the alcohol burns at a lower temperature than the paper. You can add NaCl (sodium chloride or common table salt) so it will burn with a yellow flame, and make the flame more visible.
Kids: If you try this, have a parent or guardian to help!
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Comments
I hope you never tried this in your room!! First Teaser!! Wahoo!
That's cool
i'm gonna try it
i'm gonna try it
You had best believe that I will try this one!!
well this sounds like one of those science corner activities in the sunday paper from back home. HEHE including the reminder of adult supervizion LOL
Is this the voice of experience talking? Another good teaser.
The alcohol burns, not the paper. Poor puzzle. It should read "paper appear to burn"
Very cool!
Didnt get it i gotta say but will have fun trying to do it!!
i agree with lelrod the alcohol is actually doing the burning not the paper
I'm glad you listened to some of those lessons I shared when you were growing up. However the trick was not the lesson! I'm glad to see you have your first teaser on site. It is a good one. Keep at it.
doesn't the paper eventually burn too.
In accrual terms it's only the alcohol vapors that are burning...still a good teaser.
Science 101. And, paper always leaves a trail.
Well, I just happened to have s small strip of paper about 1 x 2 inches & some isopropyl alcohol -- need I say more? It's true, the alcohol burned off leaving the paper dry & unburned until about 3/4 of the way through, at which point the edges of the paper began to burn. But I'm willing to believe that in a perfect world, the experiment would have worked perfectly. Bravo! But don't try this at home, boys and girls. I'm 62, so presumably I know what I'm doing. More or less.
Thanks for the science lesson.
Interesting teaser. Sure do hope there aren't any youngsters out that who are going to try this.Save it for class witha controlled conditions kids!!
that's pretty cool!
I loved it!!!
I loved it!!!
The Paper doesn't burn. You put that right in the answer. That invalidates the entire teaser.
I'm assuming that Zonarita and Zonahobo were supervising when you tried this ... Way to go, ZonaBoy! ... and good job ZonaParents!!!
Weak. No teasing here, either you know it or you don't.
Even as an English Major the answer was obvious.If you burn the papaer you burn the paper. If you burn the alcohol you burn the alcohol.Not a great teaser. Sorry.
You shouldn't put items like that on a site devoted to jokes and riddles. How many unqualified people are gonna try that, and how many children without proper supervision? Real bone head move there.
i thought it was spend it as in money guess you can tell i did not pay attention in science class
You got a nice honor there as Teaser of the Day! I've been around a lot longer than you and I've never had one yet. Congrats!
i also have the proper "testing" materials and am old enough to know better. thank u for your teaser.
easy, i did it a million times in science
i didnt know, good teaser though!!!
Duh? Very selective audience for this one..and I'm not in it. Congrats on Teaser of Day but hope your next one appears in the science 101 category.
nvr tryd this, but it sounz cool, 'speciali w/ salt... ... 1st thot th@ popt 2 mind was sandppr... haha... ... waaaat? u sed "rub", so i thot sandppr... bahaha...
gud 1, tho...
gud 1, tho...
I thought this was great! I would have worded it as the paper is being exposed to fire, but it works either way.
I didn't have a clue! Good teaser though!
That's a cool fun fact.
Hated Science in school and still do.
By soaking the paper in alcohol, the paper isn't really burning -- the alcohol is...
Way cool! Whether it's the paper or alcohol burning it, it's still great. Can't wait to try this with my kids this afternoon.
Thanks for the fun trick!
Thanks for the fun trick!
The kids loved this! Try it with your kids.
We used 70% alcohol which doesn't quite work as well. Be sure you use the 50%.
We used 70% alcohol which doesn't quite work as well. Be sure you use the 50%.
i thought you meant paper as in paper cup...to not burn paper cup, fill about 3/4 of the way with regular water. put on bunsun burner, and water will boil without setting paper on fire...when water boils dry, get the fire extinguisher
good one
I thought it was money...like spending it.....I thought it was a good answer...til the realy answer came up....we haven't learned that in Chemistry yet.....doubt we will...that would be a fun experiment....burning things....tehehe.
I liked the riddle/joke/whatever-you-call-it though.
I liked the riddle/joke/whatever-you-call-it though.
Stumped me!
Being on oxygen 24-7 I'm not allowed to play with fire of any kind so this one kinda left me out in the cold. But stupidly, one night I had a candle burning, and since I don't have enough breath to blow out a candle, took off my canula, also off the hose, and started to use the hose to blow out the candle. "My what a pretty flame, " I thought, and suddenly realized what was taking place. Thankfully I got the oxygen shut off before I did any real damage, but evidentally I didn't have enough O2 going to my brain that night because this was pure stupidity! Nice science lesson, but kids, don't play with fire!
I agree with previous posts. The question asks "How can paper burn..." and the answer states "the paper doesn't burn". Badly worded, IMHO. Wouldn't "How can you set light to paper without it burning?" be better?
love science questions!
But then, isn't the paper NOT burning...?
Hehe sounds fun Great job!
You just said the paper will burn and then you say it's not?
Anyway, I have ethyl. Does it work?
Anyway, I have ethyl. Does it work?
dude that's cool!
the hint gave it away
Excellent. You can achieve the same result by using oil.
Okay people, so this wasn't a spectacularly worded teaser. However, it's not the end of the world and it got the point across.
Perhaps someone should correct this teaser so that it's written as "light fire to" rather than burn.
I give it a thumbs up!
Okay people, so this wasn't a spectacularly worded teaser. However, it's not the end of the world and it got the point across.
Perhaps someone should correct this teaser so that it's written as "light fire to" rather than burn.
I give it a thumbs up!
Great teaser, but I agree; not clearly written.
You said "BURN PAPER", not alcohol. NG
I got it even if it wasn't written perfectly.
I'm with Zaha.... wheres the teaser?? But its a good fact anyway......
The paper will also burn,unless you put the fire out.Poor science question!!!
that makes no sense.
I thought the solution was going to be that an image is burnt onto the paper IE by a copy machine or printer.
The paper doesn't burn, like has already been said... Very, very poor!
Very good teaser. I didn't have a clue, even with the hint . Again I enjoy the debate , or call it conversation, as much as the teaser. I wouldn't even try this one unsupervised,.
My 6th grade teacher did that, she covered a peice of paper with alcohol and she burned it right in the classroom
yes.
as far as I'm concerned that's all I need to know.
I'm sure the braingle guy would find some way to do it.
as far as I'm concerned that's all I need to know.
I'm sure the braingle guy would find some way to do it.
It's been a year since I first did this science experiment with my kids and they still ask once a month or so to do it again. It's great!
Excellent !!!
It's a tough question to pose. I thought the paper would burn & then not be there, no damage, gone - poof!
I did think of a coating but science class for me is a ways back.
Got me thinking
To Vlerma
I call what happened to you that day a "Brain Glitch" we all have them & I've had a couple of close calls re electricity. These experiences keep us on our toes so to speak.
Take care Rose
I call what happened to you that day a "Brain Glitch" we all have them & I've had a couple of close calls re electricity. These experiences keep us on our toes so to speak.
Take care Rose
Thought it was good for a first teaser.
Terrible teaser. The paper's not burning, the alcohol is. Not sure how this one passed inspection.
Hmm. I'll just say that the "rub" clue made me think the answer was: rub on paper long enough, and your finger will feel "burnt" from the heat of friction. So then, the paper is burning something, which works well with the wording of the puzzle.
best to use vodka/ any spirit around the 40% mark that way the alcohol burns but the paper remains wet from the abundance of water *chemistry undergrad* not really a brain teaser though
That was a very interesting fact, but i dont think it made a great teaser. Still, thats something for me too do if I ever get bored!
My science teacher put water in a cup and set it over fire, and the paper didn't burn, but that's because the heat transferred and everything... anyway, good teaser!!
the alcohol is burning not the paper
well at least i'm not the only one to miss the boat on this one. Very good teaser and informative also.
Thanks for makeing us think
Nice teaser, but I think the wording is off. the definition of butn is to be consumed by flames, which the paper is not.
A better question would of been "How can you set a piece of paper on fire without damage"
A better question would of been "How can you set a piece of paper on fire without damage"
good trick, crappy brainteaser. bet its nice for parties =)
I've read this one before and actually used it as a science project! I did well. Very fun and easy to do, thank you for the science help!
Anyway, awesome work on this whole "burning paper" thing, really liked it!
Anyway, awesome work on this whole "burning paper" thing, really liked it!
I work at Mad Science Malaysia and one of the things we have to do is this, so I figured out the answer pretty easily. But the thing is that since it is the alcohol that burns first, technically the paper never burns, so the question itself isn't worded accurately. But that's just if you want to be technical. Also, if you don't put out the fire right away after lighting the paper soaked in alcohol, the fire will burn out all the alcohol and then burn the paper. So remember to put out the fire right away if you wanna save your paper (best way is hold it with thongs when you light it and shake off the fire right away). Cheerio!
HOY........................................???
my cousin did this same trick but she put the alcohol on the back of her hand and set it on fire... it was really really cool and she didnt get burned at all
i can see why it's hard
I agree with lelrod, the paper does not actually burn.
I'll have to try it with the kids! Thanks!
"How can paper burn without any damage?" When I read this I looked at the category expecting to see Trick. Poorly written IMHO.
Answer: "Then, the alcohol burns and the paper does not."
A lot of comments on this one, and I am wondering why do we even care? Is this something useful that we need to know or just some odd observation? "Much Ado about nothing."
Nice one! You mean propan-2-ol?
It's called "rubbing alcohol" which the hint was alluding to.
www.dictionary.com/browse/rubbing-alcohol?s=t
www.dictionary.com/browse/rubbing-alcohol?s=t
The paper does NOT burn like the riddle asks so it's a cheat - period. Secondly, a lot of kids visit this site and may try this silly trick in spite of the warning about adult supervision.
I'm surprised it's been allowed to remain on the site.
I'm surprised it's been allowed to remain on the site.
Poorly worded & potentially dangerous!
Despite this I actually knew the answer, but eliminated it because you said the paper burns?
What are the editors doing, allowing this?
Despite this I actually knew the answer, but eliminated it because you said the paper burns?
What are the editors doing, allowing this?
Poorly worded? Yes. Maybe "how do you set paper on fire..."?
Intersting science tidbit? Definitely! I learned alcohol burns at a lower temperature and salt makes it burn yellow. I would have guessed the paper eventually burns. Science!
To dangerous? Not in my opinion.
Intersting science tidbit? Definitely! I learned alcohol burns at a lower temperature and salt makes it burn yellow. I would have guessed the paper eventually burns. Science!
To dangerous? Not in my opinion.
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