CANDLE BURNING

Abhijeet Acharya (1BM19AS057)

Theory:
A candle is an ignitable wick embedded in wax, or another flammable solid substance such as
tallow, that provides light, and in some cases, a fragrance. A candle can also provide heat or a
method of keeping time.
A person who makes candles is traditionally known as a chandler. Various devices have been
invented to hold candles, from simple tabletop candlesticks, also known as candle holders, to
elaborate candelabra and chandeliers.
For a candle to burn, a heat source (commonly a naked flame from a match or lighter) is used to
light the candle's wick, which melts and vaporizes a small amount of fuel (the
wax). Once vaporized, the fuel combines with oxygen in the atmosphere to ignite and form a
constant flame. This flame provides sufficient heat to keep the candle burning via a self-
sustaining chain of events: the heat of the flame melts the top of the mass of solid fuel; the
liquefied fuel then moves upward through the wick via capillary action; the
liquefied fuel finally vaporizes to burn within the candle's flame.
As the fuel (wax) is melted and burned, the candle becomes shorter. Portions of the
wick that are not emitting vaporized fuel are consumed in the flame. The incineration of the
wick limits the length of the exposed portion of the wick, thus maintaining a constant burning
temperature and rate of fuel consumption.

Procedure:

It takes multiple steps resulting in combustion of a candle

Combustion is the result of a chemical reaction in which oxygen gas reacts with the
substance that is being burned.

1. The combustion material in candle is the WAX.

2. The WAX has to be hot enough to become a fuel. That is why, WICK is used as
another source of fire which burns and melts the WAX around it.
3. The WICK is an absorbent, which sucks the liquid WAX into it and push upward into
the flame by capillary moment.
4. Once liquid WAX become hot enough, it turns into gas which react with oxygen from
ambient air and set the fire on.

This means that the candle flame is actually created by the burning wax gas (or vapor) and not
by the wick itself or the solid or even liquid wax.

After lighting a candle, it might flicker or sputter at first, but then it usually burns fairly steadily.
As the heat of the wax vapor flame melts more of the solid wax it creates more fuel for the flame
to burn. The candle will only go out once it runs out of wax or oxygen or gets blown out.

Observations and Results

When lit a candle the most likely had to touch the wick with the flame of your match. This
makes the wick catch fire, which starts the combustion reaction. The wax around the wick
starts melting, and it is from this liquid wax that vapor is created inside the flame. The wax
vapor starts to burn and creates the stable candle flame that you see.

When you blew out the candle you should have seen white smoke rising up into the air from
the wick. This is the wax vapor, which becomes visible as it condenses into small liquid
droplets in the cooler air.
Flame conducts electricity

Yes. Fire is the good conductor of electricity

Fire basically conducts electricity the same way salty water doesboth contain some
concentration of charged particles that are free to move.

Water contains some concentrations of ions and protons (H++ protons). When there is a voltage
difference, the ions will move according to their charge.

The hot gas of the flame contains positively charged ions and electrons, which will move in the
same way as the ions in the water. The reason there are ions is that the heat of the gas is such that
some of the electrons can free themselves from the attraction of their atoms.

Structure of the flame

In a general candle, flame colour depends on three factors:
 ● Nature of the substance that undergoes combustion
● Amount of oxygen and
● Temperature
There are two types of flames:

1. Non-luminous flame and

2. Luminous flame

Luminous flame Non-luminous

flame

Incomplete Complete
combustion combustion

Colour – Bright Colourless

yellow

Insufficient amount Presence of

of oxygen sufficient oxygen

Provides light Hotter

Candle flame different zones

In a candle flame, a quarter of the energy created is released as heat.
A candle flame consists of three different zones. Each zone has different temperatures. Every
zone has different colour and this will help us in understanding the temperatures of each zone.

1. The first zone is called the Outer zone

2. The second zone is called the Middle zone
3. The third zone is called as Inner zone

Due to complete combustion, the outer zone is blue. This zone is the hottest in
temperature when compared to the other zones. This blue coloured zone is the non-
luminous part of the flame.
The yellow colour region which is the bright part of the flame is the middle zone. It is
moderately hot and partial combustion of fuel takes place.
The least hot region of the flame is present innermost. This inner zone is black due to the
presence of unburnt wax vapours.