Brooke Martin
A candle can be relit from its smoke due to the presence of vaporized wax in the smoke trail. When a candle is lit, the heat from the flame vaporizes the candle wax, and when it is blown out, the residual heat from the wick keeps vaporizing wax for a few seconds. This vaporized wax can be ignited using another flame, causing the flame to travel down the smoke trail to the wick and relighting the candle. It is important to note that the smoke itself does not ignite; instead, the vaporized wax in the smoke trail catches fire.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| What is required to burn something? | Vaporized fuel |
| What happens when a candle is lit? | Heat from the flame vaporizes the candle wax |
| What happens when a candle is blown out? | Vaporized wax remains in the air |
| What is the "smoke trail"? | Vaporized wax |
| What happens when a flame is placed into the smoke trail? | The flame travels down the smoke trail to the wick, relighting the candle |
| What is smoke? | A very complex material containing substances such as soot, unburned wax vapor, and off-gases |
| Is smoke combustible? | Yes, given the right conditions (high heat) |
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What You'll Learn
The smoke trail is made of vaporized wax
The "smoke trail" that rises from a blown-out candle is not smoke but vaporized wax. When a candle is lit, the heat from the flame vaporizes the wax, which then reacts with oxygen to keep the candle burning. Even after the candle is blown out, the residual heat from the wick keeps vaporizing the wax, creating the smoke trail.
This trail of vaporized wax is what allows a candle to be relit from a distance. By bringing another flame close to the smoke trail, the wax vapor can be ignited, and the flame travels along the trail back to the wick, relighting the candle. The vaporized wax is the fuel that sustains the candle flame, and it is this wax that reignites when a flame is introduced to the smoke trail.
The process of vaporization breaks down the hydrocarbons in the wax into hydrogen and carbon. The gaseous wax then burns in oxygen, producing water vapour, carbon dioxide, heat, and light. This combustion reaction is what sustains the candle's flame.
The smoke trail is most visible and effective when the air is still, as this allows the trail to remain concentrated and straight. It is also important to note that the closer the flame is to the wick, the easier it is to relight the candle. This is because the concentration of vaporized wax is highest near the wick, providing an ample fuel source for the flame to ignite.
The "smoke trail" is a fascinating phenomenon that demonstrates the science behind candle burning and provides an intriguing trick to relight a candle without touching the flame directly to the wick.
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The vaporized wax is flammable
The phenomenon of a candle relighting from its smoke is a neat trick, but it is not the smoke that is flammable. The "smoke" is actually a trail of vaporized wax, which is highly flammable. This wax vapour is invisible, but it travels in the same direction as the smoke, and it is this vapour that reignites when a flame is placed in the smoke trail.
When a candle is lit, the heat from the flame vaporizes the wax. The liquid wax becomes a hot gas, and its hydrocarbons break down into hydrogen and carbon. This gaseous wax then burns in oxygen to produce water vapour, carbon dioxide, heat, and light. When a candle is blown out, the residual heat from the wick keeps vaporizing the wax. The smoke trail is, therefore, a trail of unburned fuel, which is highly flammable.
This is why, when a flame is placed in the smoke trail, the wax vapour reignites, and the flame travels down the trail to the wick, relighting the candle. The trick works best when the air is still, as this keeps the smoke trail straight and makes it easier to light.
It is important to note that this phenomenon is dangerous. Smoke is combustible, and the high level of heat produced by this trick could potentially harm bystanders.
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The wick off-gases when lit
When a candle is lit, the heat from the flame vaporizes the wax around the wick. The wick is absorbent, so it soaks up the liquid wax and pulls it upwards. The heat of the flame then vaporizes the wax, and it is this wax vapour that burns.
When a candle is blown out, the residual heat from the wick keeps vaporizing the wax. The "smoke trail" that is seen is not smoke but vapourized wax. This vapourized wax can be ignited by introducing a flame to it, which will then travel down the smoke trail to the wick and relight the candle.
The wick itself also off-gases when lit. The heat from the flame causes the material in the wick to off-gas or vaporize. When this vapour mixes with the oxygen in the air, it is oxidized, resulting in fire. This is why a match can be held to a full-sized log to ignite it. The wick is less dense than the log, so heat can penetrate it from more angles, allowing a rapid rise in temperature up to the ignition point.
Smoke is also combustible. It is made up of material that has burned inefficiently, creating off-gases that did not ignite due to their chemical structure. However, given the right conditions (high heat), they will combust. In the case of a blown-out candle, the smoke trail leads back to the wick, which is still hot and can act as a fuel source to relight the candle.
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Smoke is combustible
A blown-out candle can be relit by placing another flame into its smoke trail. However, it is not the smoke that catches fire, but the vaporized wax that remains in the air after the candle is extinguished. This phenomenon is a result of the heat from the original flame vaporizing the candle wax, which, when blown out, lingers in the air as a fuel trail.
Smoke, on the other hand, is a collection of tiny solid, liquid, and gas particles that are emitted when a material undergoes combustion or pyrolysis. It is an unwanted byproduct of fires, resulting from the incomplete burning of fuel. The composition of smoke depends on the nature of the burning fuel and the conditions of combustion. For instance, fires with a high availability of oxygen burn at high temperatures and produce less smoke, with particles primarily composed of ash. Conversely, fires burning with a lack of oxygen produce a wider range of compounds, many of which are toxic, such as carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide.
Smoke is indeed combustible, as it contains flammable compounds. Under certain conditions, such as increased oxygen levels or high temperatures, these compounds can ignite, leading to a backdraught or flashover effect. This is why smoke poses a significant danger in fires, as it can fuel the flames and contribute to their spread. Additionally, smoke can obscure visibility, making it challenging to evacuate safely from a fire. The toxic gases and particles present in smoke, such as carbon monoxide and soot, can also be harmful and even fatal if inhaled.
The combustibility of smoke is evident in the candle relighting trick. When a candle is blown out, the smoke that rises from the wick contains unburned wax vapors. Introducing another flame to this smoke trail ignites the wax vapors, causing the flame to travel along the trail back to the wick, relighting the candle. This trick works because the wax vapors act as fuel, not because the smoke itself is combustible.
In summary, while the relighting of a candle through its smoke trail may appear to be the combustion of smoke, it is actually the vaporized wax within the smoke that ignites. Smoke, as a byproduct of combustion, contains combustible elements that can fuel a fire under the right conditions. The candle relighting trick showcases the combustibility of the wax vapors within the smoke rather than the smoke itself.
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The flame travels down the smoke trail to the wick
When a candle is lit, the heat from the flame vaporizes the wax. The wax becomes a hot gas, and its hydrocarbons break down into hydrogen and carbon. This gaseous wax then burns in oxygen to produce water vapour, carbon dioxide, heat, and light. When a candle is blown out, the residual heat from the wick keeps vaporizing the wax. The "smoke trail" that is seen is not smoke but vapourised wax. This vapourised wax is unburned fuel, which can be ignited by applying a heat source.
When a flame is placed into the smoke trail, it is not the smoke that catches fire but the vapourised wax. The flame travels along the smoke trail to the wick because that is where the concentration of vapourised wax is highest. The vapourised wax reignites, and the flame travels along the trail to the wick, where the candle-burning process starts all over.
The trick works best when the air is still around the candle, as this maximises the amount of wax vapour around the wick and provides a clear smoke trail to follow. It is important to note that the flame should not touch the wick and that the candle can be relit from a distance.
The phenomenon is not limited to candles and can be observed in other contexts, such as when a fire is starved of oxygen and produces plumes of thick, dark, hydrocarbon-rich smoke. If more oxygen is introduced, the smoke can reignite, demonstrating the combustible nature of smoke.
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Frequently asked questions
The "'smoke'" from a blown-out candle is actually vaporized wax. This vaporized wax can be ignited by introducing another flame to it, which then travels down to the wick and relights the candle.
When a candle is lit, the heat from the flame vaporizes the candle wax. When the candle is blown out, the residual heat from the wick keeps vaporizing wax, which is then released into the air as "smoke".
The vaporized wax burns in oxygen to produce water vapour, carbon dioxide, heat, and light.
The smoke trail is made of unburned fuel, which is combustible. Given the right conditions (high heat), the smoke will combust and follow the trail back to the wick, which is still hot and a good fuel source.
The second flame can be held close to the smoke trail, but it can also be a fair distance away, as long as the smoke trail doesn't spread out too much.
