What Causes Fire to Produce Heat and Light?

  • Thread starter Thread starter vorcil
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Fire
AI Thread Summary
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.
vorcil
Messages
395
Reaction score
0
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"
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Physics news on Phys.org
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.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
So I know that electrons are fundamental, there's no 'material' that makes them up, it's like talking about a colour itself rather than a car or a flower. Now protons and neutrons and quarks and whatever other stuff is there fundamentally, I want someone to kind of teach me these, I have a lot of questions that books might not give the answer in the way I understand. Thanks

Similar threads

Back
Top