Is fire affected by gravity?

Question

I mean seriousley, have you ever seen a flame go down?

Answer 1

The flame itself is not affected by gravity. It will burn as long as there is oxygen present in the right quantities. The difference is that in gravity, hot air rises. This allows the air to move upward past the flame and causes the flame to stand 'up'. In zero gravity, the hot air does not rise as there is no 'up'. The flame is more of a sphere shape and sputters because the oxygen is being consumed by the flame and the air is not moving. A normal looking flame can be achieved in space if you artificially move the air by blowing on it or with a fan.

Answer 2

Gravity affects all matter. Since a flame is made of matter, combusting gasses in this case, it is affected by gravity. In every instance I have seen the combusting gasses are considerably less dense than the surrounding gasses and therefore because of gravity will have buoyancy and float upwards. It may be possible for a flame to burn down if the combusting gasses are more dense than the gasses that the flame is combusting in. However I don't know of any example off hand. Remember that combustion doesn't necessarily have to involve oxygen.

Answer 3

Yes, fire is affected by gravity. Fire rises because the hot flames are expanded relative to the air around them and rise. If there is no "up", then they don't go up. I've seen it on one of the NASA videos and I was looking for it for my physics class last year and I couldn't find it, but somewhere on video I have a demonstration by the skylab astronauts of a candle flame in orbit. It's just a tiny, spherical flame. The flame can't rise because there isn't a density difference and no buoyancy in the air because of that.

Answer 4

i havent ever seen soo bcoz when something burns it gets converted into gaseous form n n bcoz of high temp.(due to burning) gases tends to go upward..as fire is actually combusion of gases or something which is converted into gas


formula of gravity is =>gravity=GMm / R

G= gravitational constant m=mass of substance
M= mass of earth R=radius of earth

So, gravity depends upon mass of substance but mass of gas molecules r very small,so effect of gravity can b ignored

Answer 5

In micro-gravity environments, fire burns very differently.

Answer 6

yes. Its effects seek more room.Start a fire and artificially make room pressure lesser - lower,it will burn down.

Answer 7

No, because FIRE HAS NO MASS! Many beleive fire is matter, yet it is energy, which has no mass. It is a combo of heat and light.

Answer 8

ya