· Pack of 10 silicon diodes. (Available at Radio Shack. You will know you got the right ones if they are very, very small glass objects!)
· Pack of matches
· 1 candle
Procedure:
1.Light the candle and allow a pool of molten wax to form in the top.
2.Take a single match and hold the glass part of a single diode against the head. Bend the diode pins around the matchhead so that one wraps in an upward direction and then sticks out to the side. Do the same with the other wire, but in a downward direction. The diodes should now be hugging the matchhead, but its wires MUST NOT TOUCH EACH OTHER!
3.Dip the matchhead in wax to give it a water-proof coat. These work underwater
4.Repeat to make as many as you want.
How to use them:
When these little dudes are hooked across a 6v battery, the diode reaches what is called breakdown voltage. When most electrical components reach this voltage, they usually produce great amounts of heat and light, while quickly melting into a little blob. This heat is enough to ignite a matchhead. These are recommended for use underwater, where most other igniters refuse to work.
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