Chloe Adams
Candles have been used for over two millennia, and while they are no longer necessary for illumination, they are still commonly used for functional, symbolic, and aesthetic purposes. The word candle comes from Middle English candel, from Old English and Anglo-Norman candele, derived from the Latin candēre, meaning 'to shine'. But does a candle wane? When you light a candle, the heat of the flame melts the wax near the wick, which is then drawn up the wick by capillary action. The heat of the flame vaporizes the liquid wax, and the wax vapour burns and keeps the candle lit. The candle shortens as the wax is consumed, and the wick also shortens.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| What is a candle? | An ignitable wick embedded in wax or another flammable solid substance such as tallow. |
| How does a candle work? | The heat of the flame melts the wax near the wick. This liquid wax is then drawn up the wick by capillary action. The heat of the flame vaporises the liquid wax and starts to break down the hydrocarbons into molecules of hydrogen and carbon. These vaporised molecules are drawn into the flame, where they react with oxygen from the air to create heat, light, water vapour, and carbon dioxide. |
| What is a candle made of? | Paraffin wax, beeswax, tallow, cotton, etc. |
| What does a candle produce when it burns? | Carbon dioxide, water vapour, volatile organic compounds, toxic gases, smoke, soot, etc. |
| Are there any health concerns associated with burning candles? | Constant exposure to the particles produced by burning candles can lead to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. However, the amount of gases produced is small and comparable to the amount that might be breathed out by another person in the room. |
| What is the history of candles? | Candles have been used for over two millennia and were a significant form of indoor lighting until the invention of electric lights. Early candles were made of beeswax and were expensive, so their use was limited to elite and church settings. Tallow was a cheaper alternative but less aesthetically pleasing. In the modern era, various materials have been developed for making candles, including paraffin wax, which made candles more affordable for the masses. |
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What You'll Learn
How does a candle work?
Candles have fascinated scientists for hundreds of years, with Michael Faraday giving a famous lecture series on the "Chemical History of a Candle" in the 1820s and 1860. Candle flames have even been studied in microgravity conditions during NASA space shuttle experiments in the 1990s.
A candle is a simple yet efficient combustion system. The two main components of a candle are the wick and the wax, which work together. The wick must be naturally absorbent and have strong capillary action to draw the liquid wax upwards through the candle as it burns. This capillary action is similar to how water can travel up a sheet of paper. The rate at which the wax moves up the wick is controlled by the heat of the flame.
When a candle is lit, the heat of the flame first melts the wax near the wick. This liquid wax is then drawn up the wick and vaporized, turning into a hot gas. The heat from the flame breaks down the wax molecules, which are hydrocarbons, into hydrogen and carbon atoms. These vaporized molecules then react with the oxygen in the air, creating heat, light, water vapour (H2O), and carbon dioxide (CO2).
The combustion process of a candle takes a few minutes to stabilize. Initially, the flame may flicker and produce smoke due to incomplete combustion of the wax. However, once stabilized, the flame burns steadily in a teardrop shape. Approximately one-fourth of the energy created by the candle's combustion is radiated as heat, which helps maintain the process by melting more wax. This cycle continues until the fuel (wax) is used up or the heat source is removed.
The colour of a candle flame is predominantly yellow due to the dominance of this portion of the light spectrum when carbon ignites. The temperature of the flame varies, with the blue zone at the base being the hottest, typically reaching 1400° C. As the candle burns, the flame heats the surrounding air, causing it to rise, and cooler air and oxygen rush in from below to replace it.
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What is a candle made of?
A candle is made of a wick embedded in wax or another flammable solid substance such as tallow. The wick needs to be naturally absorbent so that it can absorb the melted wax and move it upwards while the candle is burning. The wax itself is made from fats, oils, and waxy substances derived from animals, insects, plants, and rocks.
Over the centuries, candle-making formulas have evolved to include a variety of waxes, including paraffin wax, soy wax, palm wax, beeswax, gels, and synthesized waxes. Paraffin wax is the most commonly used candle wax today and is derived from the refining of crude oil. Soy wax, a vegetable wax made from soybean oil, is another popular option due to its renewability, affordability, and ability to burn cleanly and slowly. Coconut wax, made by extracting and hydrogenating oil from coconut meat, is also used in candle-making and is known for its slow and even burning, strong fragrance, and sustainability.
Other types of waxes used in candle-making include microcrystalline wax, plant waxes such as palm, carnauba, bayberry, or soybean wax, and beeswax, which is a byproduct of honey collection. Ancient civilizations used materials that were readily available to create candle wax. For example, the Ancient Egyptians and Early Romans used tallow rendered from animals, while early Chinese candles may have been made from whale fat. In the 18th and 19th centuries, spermaceti, a waxy substance produced by sperm whales, was used to create superior candles that burned longer, brighter, and without an offensive smell.
The choice of wax for candle-making depends on various factors, including cost, burn rate, sustainability, and the specific requirements of the candle maker and consumers. Fragrance oils, essential oils, or aniline-based dyes are often added to enhance the candle's scent and colour.
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What gases do candles produce?
The combustion of a candle produces a variety of gases, including carbon dioxide, water vapour, carbon monoxide, particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, benzene, toluene, acetaldehyde, formaldehyde, nitrogen oxides, fragrance chemicals, and soot.
When a candle is lit, the heat of the flame melts the wax near the wick, which is then drawn up by capillary action. This liquid wax is vaporised, turning into a hot gas and breaking down the hydrocarbons into molecules of hydrogen and carbon. These vapour molecules react with oxygen from the air, creating heat, light, water vapour, and carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide is a byproduct of the chemical reaction when the hydrocarbon wax combines with oxygen. The heat generated is enough to melt more wax and sustain the combustion process.
Paraffin wax, a common candle wax derived from petroleum, has a low melting point, making it an economical choice for candle-making. However, it produces emissions that may degrade indoor air quality. When burned, paraffin wax releases carbon dioxide, water vapour, carbon monoxide, and other toxic gases.
To minimise the impact of candle emissions on indoor air quality and health, it is recommended to ventilate rooms well and limit burning time. Keeping wicks trimmed helps reduce soot production, and opting for candles made from natural ingredients, such as soy, beeswax, or vegetable-based waxes, can also help improve air quality.
While candles produce certain gases, it is important to note that scientists have been fascinated by the chemistry and physics behind candle flames for hundreds of years. The study of candle combustion has even extended to space, with NASA conducting experiments to understand candle flames in microgravity conditions.
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Are candles safe?
Candles have been a source of light and fascination for hundreds of years. While they remain a popular choice for ambiance and fragrance, there are some concerns about their potential health risks. So, are candles safe?
The short answer is that candles are generally safe when used properly and in well-ventilated spaces. Candle manufacturers use waxes that burn cleanly and safely, and the National Candle Association (NCA) ensures that ingredients are known to be safe and approved for candle use. Metal-core wicks, commonly found in container candles, are made with zinc or tin, which have been scientifically proven to be safe and non-toxic. Additionally, fragrances in candles are reviewed against safety standards established by the International Fragrance Association (IFRA) to ensure they are safe for human use.
However, it is important to understand that burning candles does release chemicals. Most candles are made of paraffin wax, a byproduct of petroleum production. Burning paraffin wax releases volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and phthalates, which may be harmful in high concentrations. Natural candles made from beeswax, soy wax, or other plant-based waxes are considered safer options as they release fewer potentially harmful chemicals.
To minimize any potential risks, it is recommended to follow some basic candle safety guidelines. Avoid burning candles in drafty areas, as this can cause the wick to smoke. Keep wicks trimmed to a length of 5 to 10 millimeters, and use a candle snuffer or dip the wick in wax instead of blowing it out. Proper ventilation is crucial, especially when using paraffin wax candles.
While there is ongoing research into the potential health effects of candle burning, no definitive studies have proven that candle smoke increases the risk of developing health conditions. The amount of particulate matter released from candles is considered insufficient to cause health problems in humans, especially when compared to daily exposure to pollution from other sources.
In conclusion, candles are generally safe when used appropriately and with common-sense precautions. While they may release some chemicals, the risk to human health is not significantly higher than that posed by other common sources of pollution.
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The history of candle usage
The use of candles has a long history, dating back thousands of years. Before the invention of candles, ancient civilizations relied on open fires, torches, splinters of resinous wood, and oil lamps to provide illumination at night. The earliest use of candles is often attributed to the Ancient Egyptians, who created rushlights or torches by soaking the pithy core of reeds in melted animal fat. While these early candles lacked a wick, true wicked candles were in use in Egypt by 3000 B.C.
The ancient Romans are generally credited with developing the wicked candle before the Egyptians by dipping rolled papyrus repeatedly in melted tallow or beeswax. These candles were used for lighting their homes, aiding travellers at night, and in religious ceremonies. Historians have found evidence that many other early civilizations also developed wicked candles using waxes made from available plants and insects. For example, early Chinese candles were moulded in paper tubes, using rice paper for the wick and wax from an indigenous insect. In Europe, candles were primarily made from tallow and beeswax from the Roman period until the modern era.
Candles played an important role in early religious ceremonies, such as Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights, which dates back to 165 B.C. There are also several Biblical references to candles, and Emperor Constantine is reported to have called for their use during an Easter service in the 4th century. Beeswax candles, with their pure and clean flame and pleasant scent, were widely used for church ceremonies, but their expense limited their use in homes to the wealthy.
The Middle Ages saw the introduction of beeswax candles in Europe, which offered a significant improvement over animal-based tallow. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the growth of the whaling industry brought the first major change in candlemaking since the Middle Ages, with the introduction of spermaceti wax obtained from sperm whale oil. Spermaceti burned cleanly and produced a brighter light than tallow or beeswax. The first "standard candles" were made from this wax.
The 19th century saw the introduction of large-scale industrial manufacturing techniques for the mass production of candles. Inventor Joseph Morgan furthered the modern-day candle industry in 1834 by developing a machine that allowed for the continuous production of moulded candles. With the introduction of mechanized production, candles became an easily affordable commodity for the masses. The discovery of how to efficiently separate and refine paraffin wax from petroleum in the 1850s made candles even more economical to produce.
With the invention of the lightbulb in 1879, candlemaking began to decline. However, candles continue to be used for functional, symbolic, and aesthetic purposes, as well as in specific cultural and religious settings.
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Frequently asked questions
A candle is an ignitable wick embedded in wax or another flammable substance, which provides light, heat, fragrance, or a method of keeping time.
When a candle is lit, the heat of the flame melts the wax near the wick. The wick then absorbs the liquid wax and pulls it upward. The liquid wax is vaporized and combines with oxygen in the air to form a flame. The flame then melts the top of the wax, which moves upward through the wick to be continually burnt, thus maintaining a constant flame.
Candles are mainly made of paraffin wax, a hydrocarbon and petroleum byproduct. However, candles can also be made from beeswax, animal-based tallow, or plant materials dipped in animal fat.
Burning candles produce carbon dioxide and water vapour, which can be dangerous at high levels. Constant exposure to the particles in candle smoke and soot can lead to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Therefore, it is recommended to ensure proper ventilation when burning candles and to use clean, white candles without too many additives.
