Chemistry Comes Alive! C C Alive! Table of Contents Index Textbooks

Canned Heat

Liquid ethanol is poured into a saturated calcium acetate solution and a solid gel is formed. The gel burns like canned heat (SternoTM).

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Keywords

combustion, practical applications, solubility, gel, sterno, calcium acetate, ethanol, Thermodynamics, solutions, real life/environment, enthalpy, exothermic process

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Ethanol is poured into a saturated calcium acetate solution. A precipitate rapidly forms as the solubility of the calcium acetate is reduced. Liquid is trapped in the network of solid calcium acetate, forming a gel. When ignited, the alcohol in the gel burns. Similar gels are used as a source of fuel in portable cooking stoves.

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