What type of particles is fire made up of?

In summary, fire is a reaction that is not made up of particles. It is mainly composed of energy in the form of photons and is created when a material reacts with an agent, such as oxygen, to produce excess heat. There are various explanations for the physical makeup of fire, including plasma, gas, and free radicals, but it is ultimately a form of energy and cannot be observed under a microscope.
  • #1
EIRE2003
108
0
What type of particles is fire made up of?
 
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  • #2
It depends on the source. For example the fire on a stove burner is all hot gases, while from a fireplace is a mixture of hot gas and heated particles, where the latter is mainly carbon.
 
  • #3
fire is mostly energy.
 
  • #4
Er... hmm. Define energy.

Fire is a reaction, a process - it is not made up of particles. You can't store a bit of fire. The flame we see from fire is energy in the form of photons given out from reactions that are occurring between the fuel and oxygen in the air.
 
  • #5
I was told that fire is matter in the plasma phase (the 4th phase of matter to which gas is transformed when it is sufficiently heated). Then, I was told that this is wrong. Most recently I have decided that fire is basically what mathman has said. Then, in the case of burning wood, you could explain the orange-red glow as approximately black-body radiation.
 
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  • #6
I heard that the carbon molecules in a fuel are accellerated so fast they break their covelant bonds, and become a gas. The gas rises and is so hot it emits photons, which is the light. As it rises, their is a small low pressure zone in the center of the fire, and that's why it's pointed. I learned this from How Stuff Works.
 
  • #7
In the process of fire molecules are broken up to form free radicals and ions, and these recombine to form different molecules which have less internal energy, therby releasing energy in the form of heat.
 
  • #8
EIRE2003 said:
What type of particles is fire made up of?

Anything that burns, it can be carbon, hydrogen, Na natrium (burns in water) plus oxygen or any other agent that acts like oxygen. Flame is a mainly gaseous chemical reaction aura around any material that reacts with any agent like oxygen creating excess heat.
 
  • #9
Fire is a form of energy so, it would not be made-up of particles. I am not sure that anyone could find out what fire is made of, unless you want to put it under your microscope and find out.
 
  • #10
Yggdrasil said:
Fire is a form of energy so, it would not be made-up of particles. I am not sure that anyone could find out what fire is made of, unless you want to put it under your microscope and find out.

Challenging idea, Bingo! Well whatever is the fire itself made of, the final result is sut, water, etc. etc.
 

1. What are the different types of particles in fire?

Fire is made up of three main types of particles: heat, fuel, and oxygen. Heat is the energy that is required to start and sustain a fire. Fuel is any material that can be burned, such as wood, paper, or gasoline. Oxygen is the gas in the air that is needed for combustion to occur.

2. Is fire made up of atoms?

Yes, fire is made up of atoms. When a material burns, it undergoes a chemical reaction called combustion. During this process, the atoms of the material combine with oxygen atoms in the air, producing new molecules and releasing energy in the form of heat and light.

3. Are there any other particles in fire besides heat, fuel, and oxygen?

Yes, there are other particles present in fire, such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, and ash. These particles are byproducts of the combustion process. Water vapor is formed when the hydrogen atoms in the fuel combine with oxygen atoms, while carbon dioxide is produced when the carbon atoms in the fuel combine with oxygen atoms. Ash is the residue left behind after the fuel has been burned.

4. Can fire exist without oxygen?

No, fire cannot exist without oxygen. Oxygen is a crucial component of the combustion process because it is needed for the chemical reaction to occur. Without oxygen, the fire would not have the necessary fuel to sustain itself and would eventually extinguish.

5. What happens to the particles in fire when it goes out?

When a fire goes out, the particles that were present in the fire will disperse into the air. The heat will dissipate, and the fuel will have been completely consumed. The remaining particles, such as water vapor and carbon dioxide, will also disperse into the air, and the ash will be left behind.

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