Jessie Taylor
A candle is typically defined as a solid, consisting of an ignitable wick embedded in wax or another flammable solid substance. However, when a candle is lit, the heat of the flame melts the wax, turning it into a liquid. This liquid wax is then drawn up the wick by capillary action and subsequently vaporized by the flame, creating a self-sustaining cycle of combustion. Thus, in a burning candle, the wax exists simultaneously in solid, liquid, and gaseous states. While candles are typically solids, there are also liquid candles that burn a real flame but never melt down, such as the refillable Lucid Candles.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Is a candle considered a liquid? | A candle is not considered a liquid. However, the wax of a burning candle turns into a liquid before vaporizing and burning. |
| Types of candles | Candles can be made of wax or liquid paraffin. |
| Candle usage | Candles are used for functional, symbolic, and aesthetic purposes and in specific cultural and religious settings. |
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What You'll Learn
Candles are made of wax, a solid fuel
A candle is a solid wax-based fuel with an embedded wick that can be ignited to provide light, heat, or fragrance. While candles are typically associated with solid wax, the burning process involves a series of transformations that change the wax's state from solid to liquid and eventually to gas.
When a candle is lit, the heat from the flame melts the solid wax near the wick, turning it into a liquid state. This liquid wax is then drawn upwards through the wick by capillary action. As the liquid wax reaches the flame, it is vaporized and combines with oxygen to form a flame, releasing light and heat. This vaporization process breaks down the wax's hydrocarbons into molecules of hydrogen and carbon, which react with oxygen to produce water vapour (H2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2).
The combustion of the candle is self-sustaining as long as there is sufficient fuel in the form of solid wax. As the candle burns, it consumes the solid wax fuel, causing the candle to shorten. The liquid wax that is not immediately vaporized and burned can flow back down the wick, where it solidifies again, only to be re-melted and vaporized as the wick shortens and the flame moves downward.
The cycle of melting, vaporization, and combustion continues until the fuel source is depleted or the heat source is eliminated. At that point, the remaining liquid wax cools and solidifies, returning to its original solid state. This process of phase changes, from solid to liquid to gas and back to solid, is a fundamental characteristic of candle wax and the reason why candles are considered a solid fuel.
While candles are primarily made of solid wax, it is important to note that the burning process involves the wax transforming into different states of matter. Therefore, a burning candle can be considered to encompass all three states of matter: solid wax at room temperature, liquid wax when melted, and gaseous wax when vaporized and burned. This understanding of candles as a solid fuel with transitional states highlights the complex nature of these seemingly simple illuminators.
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Burning candles turn solid wax into liquid wax
A candle is an ignitable wick embedded in wax or another flammable solid substance. When a candle burns, it goes through several state changes.
Firstly, the heat of the flame melts the solid wax near the wick, turning it into liquid wax. This liquid wax is then drawn up the wick by capillary action. The flame then vaporizes the liquid wax, turning it into a hot gas. The vaporized molecules are drawn up into the flame, where they react with oxygen from the air to create heat, light, water vapour, and carbon dioxide.
The combustion process of a candle is self-sustaining. The heat created by the flame is enough to melt more wax, which is then drawn up the wick and burned, maintaining a constant flame. This cycle continues until the fuel is used up or the heat is eliminated.
The blue area at the base of the flame is where the hydrocarbon molecules vaporize and break apart into hydrogen and carbon atoms. The hydrogen reacts with oxygen to form water vapour, while some of the carbon burns to form carbon dioxide. The dark orange-brown region has less oxygen, and this is where the various forms of carbon continue to break down and form hardened carbon particles. These particles rise and are heated to around 1000 degrees Celsius. At the bottom of the yellow zone, the formation of carbon (soot) particles increases, and they continue to heat up until they ignite and emit light. When the flame is extinguished, the system cools down, and the liquid wax turns back into a solid.
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Liquid wax is drawn up the wick by capillary action
A candle is an ignitable wick embedded in wax or another flammable solid substance. When a candle is lit, the heat from the flame melts the wax near the wick, creating a puddle of liquid wax. This liquid wax is then drawn up the wick by capillary action. Capillary action is the same mechanism through which sponges can soak up water from a surface, seemingly against the forces of gravity.
The wicks in candles are made of braided cotton, which makes them porous. Porous means "having lots of narrow spaces". This is important because liquid candle wax has strong adhesive properties, which means that it tends to stick to certain surfaces. In narrow spaces, these adhesive forces between the liquid and the wall can become stronger than the forces of gravity acting downward on the liquid, causing it to move up into the narrow space. So, in the case of a porous candle wick, it makes sense that it can make liquids move upward.
The liquid wax is drawn up through the wick and then vaporizes, or turns into a gas. This gas mixes with oxygen from the air and burns, creating a flame. The heat from the flame melts more wax, and the process repeats, which is why the candle continues to burn as long as there is wax to be melted and vaporized. If you were to try to light a puddle of wax on its own, it wouldn't work because the heat from the match or lighter wouldn't be able to melt and vaporize enough wax to sustain a flame. The flame would quickly go out because there wouldn't be enough gas to keep it burning. The wick helps to draw the liquid wax up and vaporize it, creating a steady supply of gas that can burn.
The vaporized molecules are drawn up into the flame, where they react with oxygen from the air to create heat, light, water vapour, and carbon dioxide. Approximately one-fourth of the energy created by a candle's combustion is given off as heat that radiates from the flame in all directions. Enough heat is created to radiate back and melt more wax to keep the combustion process going until the fuel is used up or the heat is eliminated.
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The liquid wax is then vaporized by the flame
A candle is an ignitable wick embedded in wax or another flammable solid substance. When a candle is lit, the heat of the flame melts the wax near the wick, turning it into liquid wax. This liquid wax is then drawn up through the wick by capillary action. The heat of the flame then vaporizes the liquid wax, turning it into a hot gas.
The vaporized wax molecules are drawn up into the flame, where they react with oxygen from the air to create heat, light, water vapour, and carbon dioxide. This combustion process is extremely efficient, and the heat radiated from the flame in all directions maintains the reaction, vaporizing more wax to keep the candle burning. This cycle continues until there is no more fuel (wax) or insufficient heat to melt the wax.
The blue area at the base of the flame is where the hydrocarbon molecules vaporize and break apart into hydrogen and carbon atoms. The hydrogen reacts with oxygen to form water vapour, while some of the carbon burns to form carbon dioxide. As the carbon rises into the orange-brown region, it continues to break down, forming small, hardened carbon particles. These particles then rise into the yellow region of the flame, where they ignite to emit a full spectrum of visible light. The temperature in this region is approximately 1000-1200°C.
The liquid wax is hot and can cause skin burns, so it is important to use a candle snuffer to extinguish the flame instead of blowing on it directly. Overall, the vaporization of liquid wax is a crucial step in the combustion process of a candle, allowing it to release light and heat energy while producing minimal soot.
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The vaporized wax combines with oxygen to form a flame
A candle is an ignitable wick embedded in wax or another flammable solid substance. When a candle is lit, the heat of the flame melts the wax near the wick, turning it into liquid wax. This liquid wax is then drawn up the wick by capillary action. The heat of the flame then vaporizes the liquid wax, turning it into a hot gas.
The vaporized wax combines with oxygen in the air to form a flame. This flame provides sufficient heat to keep the candle burning via a self-sustaining chain of events. The flame melts the top of the mass of solid fuel, which moves upward through the wick via capillary action to be continually burnt, thereby maintaining a constant flame. The candle shortens as the solid fuel is consumed, and the wick also shortens.
The blue area at the base of the flame is where the hydrocarbon molecules vaporize and start to break apart into hydrogen and carbon atoms. The hydrogen is the first to separate and reacts with the oxygen to form water vapour. Some of the carbon burns here to form carbon dioxide. The dark orange-brown section above the blue area has relatively little oxygen. This is where the various forms of carbon continue to break down and small, hardened carbon particles start to form. As they rise, along with the water vapour and carbon dioxide created in the blue zone, they are heated to approximately 1000 degrees Centigrade.
The formation of carbon (soot) particles increases at the bottom of the yellow zone. As they rise, they continue to heat until they ignite to incandescence and emit the full spectrum of visible light. The yellow portion of the spectrum is the most dominant when the carbon ignites, so the human eye perceives the flame as yellowish. When the soot particles oxidate near the top of the flame's yellow region, the temperature is approximately 1200 degrees Celsius.
The fourth zone of the candle is sometimes called the veil. It is the faint outside blue edge that extends from the blue zone at the base of the flame and up the sides of the flame cone. It is blue because it directly meets with the oxygen in the air and is the hottest part of the flame, typically reaching 1400 degrees Celsius. When a candle burns, the flame heats the nearby air and starts to rise. As this warm air moves up, cooler air and oxygen rush in at the bottom of the flame to replace it. When that cooler air is heated, it too rises and is replaced by cooler air at the base of the flame. This creates a continual cycle of upward-moving air around the flame (a convection current), which gives the flame its elongated or teardrop shape.
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Frequently asked questions
No, candles are not considered liquids. They are considered solids. However, when a candle is lit, the heat of the flame melts the wax, turning it into a liquid that is then drawn up the wick and vaporized by the flame.
A candle is an ignitable wick embedded in wax or another flammable solid substance such as tallow.
When a candle is lit, the heat of the flame melts the wax near the wick. This liquid wax is then drawn up the wick by capillary action and vaporized by the flame. The vaporized wax combines with oxygen in the air to form a flame, which gives off heat and light.
The liquid in a candle is called wax or candle oil.
Yes, there are refillable liquid candles available, such as Lucid Candles, which burn a real flame but never melt down.
