Why does fire need oxygen?

Question

And what is this process called

Answer 1

Oxygen (O2) in generally needed to continue to support the combustion process (the chemcal chain reaction of Fuel - Heat - and O2 in the proper amounts - also known as the "fire tetrahedron"). The O2 is reacting with the fuels involved to form new compounds. The O2 isn't "used up" it simply reacts with the carbons present to become the gas CO or CO2. Although it's true that Oxygen supports combustion and fires will burn hotter and faster in the presence of an oxygen enriched atmostphere, Oxygen iteself is NOT flammable, nor is it toxic in high amounts as some have suggested. Afterall, Oxgen is often administered at a 100% concentration to medical patients.

THE SCIENCE OF FIRE:

A flame is an exothermic, self-sustaining, oxidizing chemical reaction producing energy and glowing gas, of which a very small portion is plasma. It consists of reacting gases and solids emitting visible and infrared light, the frequency spectrum of which is dependent on the chemical composition of the burning elements and intermediate reaction products.

In many cases such as burning organic matter like wood or incomplete combustion of gas, incandescent solid particles, soot produces the familiar red-orange 'fire' color light. This light has a continuous spectrum. Complete combustion of gas has a dim blue color due to the emission of single wavelength radiations from various electron transitions in the excited molecules formed in the flame. Usually oxygen is involved, but hydrogen burning in chlorine produces a flame as well, producing the toxic acid hydrogen chloride (HCl). Other possible combinations producing flames, amongst many more, are fluorine and hydrogen, or hydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide. Recent discoveries by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) of the United States also has found that gravity plays a role. Modifying the gravity causes different flame types.

I hope that helps answer your question.

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Answer 2

Fire is just the rapid oxidation of a meterial. It is called pyrolisis. It is the same as rust on metal except the metal rusting is a way slower oxidation. With the rapid oxidation of the material you generate heat thus you get what we call fire. As with the previos posts you need 4 things to occur it is called the fire tetrahedron you need fuel an oxidizer heat and a chemical chain reaction. If one is not there you can not have fire.

Answer 3

Fire needs oxygen to keep burning and the thing makes oxygen necessary is, its characteristic in being a very high sensitive to heat sources and making flam.

Answer 4

Oxidation, when the bond in wood are broken , for example, those loose carbons have to get with oxygen to make CO2. The H goes to water I think. ANyway, oxygen gets added so its oxidation. Going the other way its reduction. Hence we hear about redox reactions sometimes.

Answer 5

Fires commence whilst the two a flammable and or a flamable fabric with an sufficient grant of oxygen or yet another oxidizer is subjected to sufficient warmth. fireplace is a self-protecting oxidation technique accompanied by potential of warmth and gentle-weight interior the form of a glow or flames.

Answer 6

Combustion or burning is a complex sequence of chemical reactions between a fuel and an oxidant accompanied by the production of heat or both heat and light in the form of either a glow or flames.

Answer 7

Fire is the release of phlogiston into the air. All fuels contain phlogiston, which is the element of fire. Burning them releases it. If you mix a metal calx with the fuel, which is the closest form to the elemental earth, phlogiston transfers to the calx and turns it into a compond of calx and phlogiston which is the metal. If you weigh things before and after you will find that phlogiston has a negative weight.

Answer 8

Combustion is a chemical change so it needs the fuel to change so without the oxygen it has no fuel.Im not explaining well i know,

Answer 9

without oxygen there would be a vacuum which would put out the fire

Answer 10

Fire needs oxygen to burn. Oxygen is highly flamable and toxic in high voulumes.