What kind of mater is fire?

Answer 1

Fire is a plasma--electrically excited ionized gaseous particles. The light given off is from the relaxation from a high energy state to a lower energy state. The high energy state is reached from the energy of the chemical reaction from burning something.

Answer 2

Kudos to mathwiz1 for disproving that fire is not a chemical reaction nor a plasma. =)

Unfortunately, mathwiz1 was not able to support his claim when he said that fire is technically a solid. He did not offer any evidence to support such claim.

Personally, I don't think fire is a solid. Nor is it a liquid, a gas or a plasma. In other words, I don't think it is a matter. Simple because matter is defined as "anything that occupies space and has mass". Perhaps you can say that fire does occupy space, but i guess it would be purely idiotic if you say that fire has mass. If you think I'm wrong, then I would greatly appreciate it if somebody would tell me how to measure the mass of fire. Since fire does not meet both qualifications to be considered matter, I guess it's reasonable to conclude that it is not a matter.

So, if fire is not a matter, then what is it exactly? I guess you can simply say it's energy. But to be more specific, I would say that it is a manifestation of a chemical reaction [the burning process]. Such manifestation can be called a byproduct in the form of heat and light energy. What causes such manifestations? Excitation of electrons from one energy level to the next level and the "restabilization" of such electrons [i.e. when the electrons return back to their original energy levels]. This continous process on a chemical reaction [burning for this example] results to the release of energy as heat and light in form. Hence we see fire as a result.

Hope this helps. =)

Answer 3

Technically it would be a solid because for one FIRE IS NOT A CHEMICAL REACTION!!!!!!!!! The fire that we see is a result of very tiny solid soot particles that are heated to incandescence, or in other words heated until it gives off light.
The only chemical reaction involved in fire occurs very close to the surface of the material on fire, not in the flame.
To prove my point try burning gaseous hydrogen, there will be no flame because there is no ash or soot, only water, whereas wood will burn with a visible flame because it gives off large amounts of soot and ash.
And also for any of those extremely idiotic boneheads that say fire is plasma I have an extremely easy way to prove you wrong. IF FIRE WAS A PLASMA IT WOULD:
1. BE ATTRACTED OR REPELLED BY A MAGNETIC FIELD
2. CREATE A ELECTRIC CURRENT IN A WIRE PASSING THROUGH IT
AND THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WITH FIRE BEING A PLASMA IS THAT TO CREATE A PLASMA THE TEMPERATURES MUST BE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OR EVEN MILLIONS OF DEGREES CELSIUS FIRE IS ONLY AT THE MOST A FEW THOUSAND DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.

Answer 4

Primenumber is right, fire is a plasma, which is a form of gas - just a highly reactive one. It is composed of particles and therefore has mass, so it is matter. The colours are due to visible light produced when the particles relax from the excited state. The blue colour in flames is due to the C2 diradical...some professor told me that once.

Answer 5

"Fire" is not really a kind of matter; it's the light and heat produced by chemicals combining with oxygen (thus releasing energy in the process).

Answer 6

Fire is not matter, as in it isn't itself composed of anything, but on the contrary it is the result of heat and light from a reaction such as combustion.

Answer 7

Extton is right. Fire is energy not matter.

Einstein did prove that Energy and Matter could be interconverted with his famous equation:

E=mc2 (m = mass) and c=speed of light

Answer 8

fire is mostly light energy and light is both a particle and a wave, particles have mass so fire like light is a form of matter and energy we don't fully understand yet

Answer 9

ok, ok. it is a transitional matter, no? it is not really a matter because it is an unstable form. it is a plasmic form.

plasmic form is a form where the atoms are in a highly ionized form and when it cahnges to a more stable form like gas, it would release energy.

Answer 10

fire is a form of energy and it is not matter. But it is caused by matter.