Jessie Taylor
Candles are a source of light made from wax or tallow with a fibrous wick embedded in the middle. They have been used for over two millennia, and while they were once a significant form of indoor lighting, they are now used more for functional, symbolic, and aesthetic purposes. The heat of the flame melts the wax near the wick, which is then drawn up the wick and vaporized, creating light and heat through combustion. Candles were also used to tell the time through candle clocks, which consisted of thin candles with evenly spaced markings that, when burnt, indicated the passage of time.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | A light source made of wax, tallow, or similar slow-burning material, commonly in cylindrical form but made in many fanciful designs, enclosing and saturating a fibrous wick. |
| History | Candles have been used for over two millennia. Objects that could be candlesticks have been found in Babylonian and middle Minoan cultures, as well as in the tomb of Tutankhamun. |
| Production | Traditional methods involve melting solid fuel and pouring it into a mould or repeatedly immersing a wick in the liquid to create a dipped tapered candle. Modern production methods use extrusion moulding. |
| Composition | Candles are composed of wax, tallow, or similar slow-burning materials, enclosing a wick. |
| Function | Candles provide light, heat, fragrance, and a method of keeping time (e.g., candle clocks). |
| Usage | Candles are used for functional, symbolic, and aesthetic purposes, as well as in specific cultural and religious settings. |
| Safety | The liquid wax can cause skin burns, so a candle snuffer is recommended to avoid splashed wax. Glass candleholders can crack due to thermal shock, so use with cracked containers is not advised. |
| Combustion | The combustion of a candle is a self-sustaining process where the heat of the flame melts the wax, which is drawn up the wick and vaporized, combining with oxygen to form a flame and releasing heat, light, water vapour, and carbon dioxide. |
| Colour | Candle flames have a dark inner zone, a blue base, a yellow zone, and an outer blue veil, each with different combustion characteristics. |
| Shape | On Earth, candle flames have an elongated or teardrop shape due to convection currents caused by rising warm air. In microgravity, candle flames are spherical due to the absence of gravity's upward pull on warm air. |
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What You'll Learn
- Candles are made from wax, tallow or similar slow-burning materials
- They have been used as a source of light for over 5,000 years
- Ancient Egyptians made rushlights by soaking reeds in melted animal fat
- The colour of a candle flame is due to the combustion of hydrocarbons
- Candles are now used for functional, symbolic and aesthetic purposes
Candles are made from wax, tallow or similar slow-burning materials
Candles are solid blocks of wax, tallow, or similar slow-burning materials, with an embedded wick that can be ignited to provide light, heat, fragrance, or to mark the passage of time. The wick is typically made from braided cotton, and it draws the melted wax upwards through capillary action, where it then vaporizes and combines with oxygen to form a flame.
The ancient Egyptians made rushlights by soaking the pith of reeds in melted animal fat, though these lacked a wick. In the 19th century, French chemist Michel-Eugène Chevreul separated fatty acids from glycerin to produce stearic acid for better candles. English pewterer Joseph Morgan patented a machine in 1834 for large-scale candle production.
Candles are typically made by melting the solid fuel (wax) and pouring it into a mould, or by repeatedly dipping a wick in the liquid wax to create a tapered candle. The mould method is more modern, with traditional methods favouring the dipping process. Fragrance oils, essential oils, or aniline-based dyes can be added to the wax to create scented or coloured candles.
The burning of a candle is a self-sustaining process. The heat of the flame melts the wax near the wick, which is then drawn up the wick and vaporized. The flame then melts the top of the wax, which moves upward through the wick and is continually burnt, maintaining a constant flame. The candle shortens as the wax is consumed, and the wick shortens with it.
Candles have been used for over two millennia, and while they are no longer necessary for illumination, they are still used for functional, symbolic, and aesthetic purposes, as well as in specific cultural and religious settings. For example, candle clocks were used in medieval churches and in ancient China and Japan to tell the time.
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They have been used as a source of light for over 5,000 years
Candles have been used as a source of light for over 5,000 years. Before the invention of candles, ancient people used open fires, torches, resinous wood splinters, and oil lamps to illuminate their surroundings at night. The earliest known use of candles dates back to ancient civilizations like the Babylonians, middle Minoan cultures, and ancient Egyptians, who used reeds soaked in animal fat with a burning tip.
The ancient Egyptians, known for their innovative use of rushlights, lacked the wicks that we see in modern candles. The development of true candles required a reliable supply of animal or vegetable fats, placing their emergence sometime after the early Bronze Age. Objects resembling candlesticks have been discovered in archaeological sites, such as the tomb of Tutankhamun. Early evidence of candle use has also been found in Italy, where a depiction of a candlestick exists in an Etruscan tomb in Orvieto.
Candles played a pivotal role in providing indoor lighting for millennia, with their importance extending well into the modern era. They were once the primary source of illumination, especially during the night or on cloudy days. Candle clocks, for example, were used to tell time. These clocks consisted of thin candles with evenly spaced markings that, when burned, indicated the passage of time. The earliest reference to candle clocks is found in a Chinese poem by You Jiangu, dating back to AD 520. Similar methods of timekeeping were employed in medieval churches, with the Anglo-Saxons attributing the invention of the candle clock to Alfred the Great, king of Wessex.
The production methods for candles have evolved over time. In the 19th century, French chemist Michel-Eugène Chevreul enhanced candle quality by separating fatty acids from glycerin to produce stearic acid. In 1834, English pewterer Joseph Morgan patented a machine for large-scale candle production. Traditional methods of candle-making involve melting solid fuel and pouring it into a mould, or repeatedly dipping a wick into the liquid to create a tapered candle. Modern candles are produced in a wide array of colours, shapes, and sizes, catering to decorative and aromatic purposes.
While electric lighting has diminished the necessity of candles for illumination, they remain prevalent in cultural and religious contexts, as well as for their aesthetic appeal.
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Ancient Egyptians made rushlights by soaking reeds in melted animal fat
The use of rushlights, or torches, can be traced back to ancient civilizations, with the earliest evidence found in ancient Egypt. The Ancient Egyptians made rushlights by soaking the pithy core of reeds in melted animal fat, such as lard or tallow, or even leftover cooking grease like bacon fat. The process of making these lights was relatively simple and could be done at home. It involved soaking rush stems in melted animal fat until saturated. Once dried, the rushlights were ready for use. Rushlights were long-lasting compared to candles, with a properly made and maintained rushlight capable of burning for several hours, making them an important source of light. They also had the advantage of being safe to use as a night light.
Rushlights were an important contribution to human development, as they demonstrated that light could be contained and transported within houses and around sites. They were also inexpensive to make and accessible to people of all economic classes. The Ancient Egyptians are often credited with the earliest use of candles, and while they did use wicked candles around 3000 B.C., they did not resemble the candles of today. Instead, they were more likely made of plant materials dipped in animal fat.
The Romans and Egyptians first made rushlights out of animal tallow-soaked reeds. The Romans then started to use papyrus to create a wick more similar to the ones used today, and the wick was coated in beeswax. This evolution led to the modern candle. The expense of the modern candle increased significantly due to the use of beeswax, which burned cleanly without producing a smoky flame and emitted a pleasant sweet smell, unlike the foul, acrid odour of tallow.
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The colour of a candle flame is due to the combustion of hydrocarbons
A candle is an ignitable wick embedded in wax or another flammable substance like tallow, which provides light, heat, fragrance, or serves symbolic or aesthetic purposes. The combustion of a candle is a self-sustaining process. When the wick of a candle is lit, the heat melts and ignites the wax or solid fuel, which is then drawn up the wick by capillary action. The heat of the flame vaporizes the liquid wax, turning it into a hot gas.
This is where the colour of the flame comes into play. As the liquid wax vaporizes, it starts to break down the hydrocarbons into molecules of hydrogen and carbon. These vaporized molecules react with oxygen from the air to create heat, light, water vapour, and carbon dioxide. The blue area at the base of the flame is oxygen-rich and is where the hydrocarbon molecules vaporize and break apart into hydrogen and carbon atoms. The hydrogen reacts with oxygen to form water vapour, and some of the carbon burns to form carbon dioxide.
Above the blue area is a small dark orange-brown section, and above that is the large yellow region that we typically associate with candle flames. The yellow colour is due to the dominance of the yellow portion of the spectrum when the carbon ignites, and as our eyes perceive this dominant yellow colour, we see the flame as yellowish. The dark orange-brown region has relatively little oxygen, and here, the various forms of carbon continue to break down and form small, hardened carbon particles that rise with the water vapour and carbon dioxide.
As these particles rise, they continue to heat up until they ignite and emit a full spectrum of visible light. When the soot particles oxidize near the top of the flame's yellow region, the temperature reaches approximately 1200°C. The outermost part of the flame, sometimes called the veil, is a faint blue edge that is the hottest part of the flame, typically reaching 1400°C. This outermost blue edge is blue because it directly meets with the oxygen in the air.
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Candles are now used for functional, symbolic and aesthetic purposes
Candles have been used for over two millennia, and while they were once a significant form of indoor lighting, they are now primarily used for functional, symbolic, and aesthetic purposes.
Candles are still used for light and heat, particularly during power outages or in regions with limited access to electricity. They are also employed for their aesthetic qualities, such as creating a cozy atmosphere or adding a decorative touch to a room. In addition, candles continue to hold symbolic value in specific cultural and religious contexts. For example, they are often used in religious ceremonies and rituals, representing spirituality, remembrance, or devotion.
The use of candles has evolved over time, with ancient civilizations using open fires, torches, and oil lamps before the development of candles. Early candles were made of plant materials dipped in animal fat, while modern candles are typically made from wax, tallow, or similar slow-burning materials. The production methods have also advanced, with traditional techniques involving melting the solid fuel and pouring it into a mould or dipping a wick repeatedly into the liquid. Today, candles are produced in various colours, shapes, and sizes, with added fragrances and essential oils.
Beyond their functional and aesthetic uses, candles have also played a role in measuring time. Candle clocks, for instance, were used in medieval churches and by the Anglo-Saxons, who attributed their invention to Alfred the Great, king of Wessex. These clocks consisted of thin candles with consistent markings that, when burned, indicated the passage of time.
The combustion of a candle is a fascinating process. When a candle is lit, the heat of the flame melts the wax near the wick, and this liquid wax is drawn up by capillary action. The heat then vaporizes the liquid wax, breaking down hydrocarbons into molecules of hydrogen and carbon. These molecules react with oxygen in the air to create heat, light, water vapour, and carbon dioxide. The cycle of warm air rising and being replaced by cooler air gives the flame its teardrop shape.
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Frequently asked questions
Candles are made from wax, tallow, or similar slow-burning materials, enclosing a wick.
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. The heat of the flame vaporizes the liquid wax, turning it into a hot gas, and starts to break down the hydrocarbons into molecules of hydrogen and carbon. These vaporized molecules are then drawn into the flame and react with oxygen from the air to create heat, light, water vapour, and carbon dioxide.
Candles are used for functional, symbolic, and aesthetic purposes, as well as in specific cultural and religious settings. They can provide light, heat, fragrance, and a method of keeping time.
