Handheld Fire Balls - Chemistry Experiment

Fire is made up of light and heated gases from combustion. You can control the temperature of fire by selecting a fuel that burns with a cool flame. If you pour the fuel onto a substance that won't burn, you can make a fireball that you can hold in your hand or juggle. Here are written instructions for making your own handheld fireballs. There is also a step-by-step video tutorial of this fire project if you would like see what to expect.

Materials Needed to Make Fireballs :-

2" x 5" strip of cotton cloth (like from a t-shirt)
100% cotton thread
needle
naphtha lighter fluid (e.g., Ronsonol™)
match or lighter

How to Make a Fireball :-

Thread the needle with cotton thread.

Tightly roll the cotton strip into a ball.

Pierce the ball with the needle and wrap the ball with the thread. End by running the needle through the ball one more time and break off the thread.

Soak the ball with lighter fluid. Don't soak your hands.

Don't ignite the the fireball while you are holding it. Set the ball on a fire-proof surface. I used a frying pan from my kitchen.

If you want to hold the fireball, my recommendation is to pick it up with tongs and carefully/slowly set it on your hand. That way you'll be able to tell if you can take the heat or not. Once you gain some confidence, you can pick the fireball up using your fingers.