What happens when you light a match in space? Seens how there is no gravity, where does the flame point?

Answer 1

There is no oxygen in space, so you couldn't light a match. I bet if you could though, it would burn in a sphere.

Answer 2

The reason the flame points up is that the hot air rises and pulls the flame up with it.
If you were in an enclosed area such as a space ship where there was oxygen to light the match, then the flame would form a sphere around the match head. But unless there was some air current moving fresh oxygen to the flame, it would use up all the oxygen around itself and it would go out.
If there was some air movement, then the flame would point in the same direction as the air flow.

Answer 3

Well space might not have any oxygen to start a fire, but there is oxygen inside space craft (usually)!

The flame is globe shaped in a controlled space environment (in low gravity). On Earth the flames are pointed because the hot air tries to rise through the surrounding cool air (which is pulled down near the ground by gravity). This is a property of convection.

This is what it looks like:
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/marshall/images/content/98838main_SpaceFlame.jpg

Answer 4

Are you speaking hypothetically?

1. No oxygen in space means there will be no flame.


But lets say that you could... I'd say the flame would just be a ball of fire. A flaming sphere if you will.

Answer 5

Oooh dear how can you light a mathch with out oxygen in space?

you can do it in the space station and even there the light flame would take the same shape as tha it took on earth. Gravith in this case has no efect on the shape.

Answer 6

Well you can't light a match in space without oxygen. Fire needs oxygen to burn. But if it could it would be perfectly round like our sun.

Answer 7

You can't light a match in the vacuum of space.

Answer 8

Good luck lighting the match without any oxygen.

Answer 9

there's no oxygen in space so you can't light a match since oxygen fuels fire