What Causes the ‘Flame’ of a Candle?

A candle’s flame is like a tiny fire that happens when the wax melts and turns into gas. That gas reacts with oxygen in the air, making it glow and feel warm. Think of it like magic, the wax becomes smoke, which burns to make light!

The Glow Inside When you light a candle, the wick gets hot, melting the wax around it. The melted wax turns into a gas called vapor, which mixes with oxygen in the air and catches fire. That’s when the glowing flame appears. It’s like having a little [sun](/search?q=sun) on top of your candle!

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Examples

A candle in your bedroom glows when you light it, just like a tiny sun.
When you melt chocolate, it's like the wax of a candle, both turn into liquid and then gas.
The flame looks like fire because it's made from invisible particles burning in the air.

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Categories: Science · chemistry,physics,candles,combustion