scientific reason
2006-09-05 05:38:29 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
Consider three causes simultaneously: 1)The burning carbon particles get shot in all possible directions from the wick. 2)air convection lifts them upwards. 3) random movement of the surrounding air medium. That's why.
2006-09-05 05:49:39 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
The heat of the flame causes the material of the candle to melt and it moves up the wick by capillary action. From the wick it evaporates into the surrounding space. If the wick was a point source and there were no other effects, this part of the flame, the blue bit in the middle would be a sphere. The wick is not a point source but has length, also there is convection because the flame is hot. These two things cause the blue part of the flame to elongate.
The burning takes place in the yellow bit of the flame and this is where the heat and the light is generated. Convection causes air to be pulled in to the bottom of the flame where it is heated and rises which causes the vertical elongation of the flame.
2006-09-05 13:16:47 · answer #2 · answered by Stewart H 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
One word: Gravity.
Gravity causes air pressure differentials when heat & convection are considered, as mentioned.
In orbit, a candle flame is spherical.
2006-09-05 14:33:01 · answer #3 · answered by Professor 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
does it?
2006-09-05 12:41:23 · answer #4 · answered by Robert A 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋