What exactly is fire?

Question

I was going to look this up on the net but I would like to know peoples opinions. Tell me your theories and I don't care if it's right or wrong. thanxs

Answer 1

fire first off is the reaction of any material chemically combineing with oxygen in an exothermic reaction creating a lot of heat.

what "is" fire though it's basically tiny molecules of the resultant chemical change in a super heated state.

Instead of a camp fire think of a propane otrch or bunsen burner....the fuel combines with oxygen, the resultant molecules are basically "white hot" or red hot etc. and come out as single molecules, that cool down quickly within an inch or a few feet or whatever...

when you snuff out a candle the same reaction continues for a bit, only you see smoke....it's the same molecules for the most part only they aren't as super heated anymore

in a sence fire is smaoke that is white hot...

this is the basics anyways

Answer 2

. Fire is usually a region of gaseous exothermic chemical reaction. I usually consists of some gas combining with atmospheric oxygen to release heat and light. There are a few solids which, if ground to a powder, will support a rapid enough oxidation process to produce a flame (the region where the reaction takes place and the heat and light are released). An example of this would be powdered aluminum, which can burn is blown across an ignition source.
. Fire can also be the combination of some material which will give up electrons and another material which will take up electrons. Water can be burned with fluorine gas as the oxidizer. Fluorine has a much stronger oxidization potential than oxygen does.

Answer 3

Fire isn't matter at all. It's a visible, tangible side effect of matter changing form -- it's one part of a chemical reaction.Typically, fire comes from a chemical reaction between oxygen in the atmosphere and some sort of fuel (wood or gasoline, for example). Of course, wood and gasoline don't spontaneously catch on fire just because they're surrounded by oxygen. For the combustion reaction to happen, you have to heat the fuel to its ignition temperature.
The dangerous thing about the chemical reactions in fire is the fact that they are self-perpetuating. The heat of the flame itself keeps the fuel at the ignition temperature, so it continues to burn as long as there is fuel and oxygen around it. The flame heats any surrounding fuel so it releases gases as well. When the flame ignites the gases, the fire spreads.
On Earth, gravity determines how the flame burns. All the hot gases in the flame are much hotter (and less dense) than the surrounding air, so they move upward toward lower pressure. This is why fire typically spreads upward, and it's also why flames are always "pointed" at the top. If you were to light a fire in a microgravity environment, it would form a sphere!

Answer 4

You definitely cannot have fire without oxygen, no matter how much heat you generate. So, it is reasonable to assume that fire is a form of oxygen, as you surely CAN have oxygen without fire. Oxygen, however, is pretty cold. The boiling point of oxygen is MINUS 297.40 Fahrenheit. That is pretty frikkin COLD! The melting point is MINUS 361. 12 Fahrenheit. That is even colder! So, believe it or not, fire is one of the coldest things in the universe. So, why does it feel hot? And why does a thermometer register a high temperature when you stick it into a fire? It is the release of energy. As soon as oxygen evaporates and turns into fire, it releases HUGE amounts of energy. Most of the energy is lost in the process of transforming from gas to fire, but it is still plenty enough to burn your @$$! Bottom line: Fire is a state of existence, like solid, liquid, and gas. But it is a state only achieved by oxygen. How do we know it is a state of existence and not a certain type of sold, liquid or gas? Simple. You can't liquefy a liquid or vaporize a gas or solidify a solid. They are basic states. You can't set fire to fire. However, there is one TEENY problem. Fire is also an element, a basic element of existence, like earth, air, water, space, matter, and time. The only place we find solid stuff is the earth. The only thing that makes other things wet, without getting wetter itself, is water. The combination of all gases is the air. The only you can create space is if you have an infinite amount of space. The only thing you can create space IN is matter. And when you create space in matter, you get DISTANCE. And when you want to get from point A to B in distance, you are forced to go through time. Similarly, friction creates heat and when the heat hits oxygen, it creates fire. So, why isn't all the oxygen in the air on fire all the time, especially considering the oxygen is so danged cold? It is too dispersed, mostly. To create fire, heat must be released in a burst, to have enough energy to light up the oxygen molecules close by.

Answer 5

1.
a. A rapid, persistent chemical change that releases heat and light and is accompanied by flame, especially the exothermic oxidation of a combustible substance.
b. Burning fuel or other material: a cooking fire; a forest fire.
2.
a. Burning intensity of feeling; ardor. See Synonyms at passion.
b. Enthusiasm.
3. Luminosity or brilliance, as of a cut and polished gemstone.
4. Liveliness and vivacity of imagination; brilliance.
5. A severe test; a trial or torment.
6. A fever or bodily inflammation.
7.
a. The discharge of firearms or artillery: heard the fire of cannon.
b. The launching of a missile, rocket, or similar ballistic body.
c. Discharged bullets or other projectiles: subjected enemy positions to heavy mortar fire; struck by rifle fire.
8. Intense, repeated attack or criticism: answered the fire from her political critics.

Answer 6

Fire is a rapid oxidation process that creates light, heat, and smoke, and varies in intensity. It is commonly used to describe either a fuel in a state of combustion (e.g., a campfire, or a lit fireplace or stove) or a violent, destructive and uncontrolled burning (e.g., in buildings or a wildfire). The discovery of making fire is considered one of the most important evolution of humankind, for it allowed higher hominids to ward off wild animals, cook food, and provide warmth as well as a source of light in darkness.

Answer 7

Fire is the only thing (for want of a better word) That does what living things do but is not classed as a living thing. It is born, it consumes, and it dies. Fire it the oxidisation of material, it reduces to, normally carbon dioxide, water and heat. Fire in zero gravity something to see., Which way is up?

Answer 8

It is the name given by our ancestors to a type of chemical reaction that gives of light and heat as two of its products. Although all types of chemical reactions that give these outputs may not necessarily be called fire.

For an exact definition you may hove to go back in time and visit our forefathers.

Answer 9

Fire is the resultant of heat and gases reacting, which gives off heat and light energy. The amount of light produced is determined by the amount of heat and the chemical composition of the fuel.

Answer 10

I think is a great question (serious). And I have no idea. Perhaps the flames are the air heated up briefly. Just like a sunset, it's at a certain wave-length when that hot....so orange-yellow...the whiter the hotter(yes?)