What Causes Fire to Produce Heat and Light?

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Fire produces heat and light due to the presence of glowing matter particles and plasma, which consists of highly energized molecules with free-moving outer electrons. The heat generated from fire is a result of exothermic chemical reactions, primarily combustion. Unlike electrical discharges, fire from a lighter does not conduct electricity. The phenomenon of fire encompasses both the visible flames and the underlying physical processes. Understanding these elements clarifies the nature of fire and its properties.
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I thought it might've been some kind of Ionized gas, hense the light and heat comming from it,

but I'm not too sure

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2LpCdhuOyQ"
 
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According to http://www-spof.gsfc.nasa.gov/Education/FAQs7.html#q97", we give the name "fire" to both a bunch of glowing matter particles and a plasma, which is a bunch of molecules that are so hot that the outer electrons have been knocked off and move around freely. Fire from a lighter is not conducting electricity, fire as seen from an electrical discharge is.
 
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I do not have a good working knowledge of physics yet. I tried to piece this together but after researching this, I couldn’t figure out the correct laws of physics to combine to develop a formula to answer this question. Ex. 1 - A moving object impacts a static object at a constant velocity. Ex. 2 - A moving object impacts a static object at the same velocity but is accelerating at the moment of impact. Assuming the mass of the objects is the same and the velocity at the moment of impact...

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