I'm wondering after an accident today in my chemistry lab at school where a student's (not mine) gas outlet for a bunsen burner was not properly connected and managed to ignite causing a jet of flame. Luckily I managed to turn it off in time.
My question is, why does it only ignite at the point from which it exists the tap and why did it not ignite all the way back into the gas cannisters and detonate them? I've seen similar on oil rigs but they only burn at a certain point?
Barry