How does fire burn in a zero gravity enviroment?

Question

On Earth, if you light a match the flame will poitn upwards and taper off, always pointing up.

Does it do the same thing in space? Or will it make like a perfect globe on energy surrounding the match?

Answer 1

The reason the flame on a match points upwards is that hot air rises, pulling some of the flame along with it as it rises.

In zero gravity, there is no "up" so the hot air will expand outward in all directions, pulling the flame with it in all directions - so you would have a sphere.

The real problem would be getting oxygen to the flame.
In a gravity field the hot air (with very little oxygen left) moves up, and fresh oxygen moves in at the bottom of the flame.
In zero gravity, the hot air (with very little oxygen left) expands in all directions and that would form a buffer zone around the flame that would prevent fresh oxygen from entering and fueling the flame.
If you blew oxygen towards the sphere, it would work but the sphere would end up being distorted by the breeze and you wouldn't have a sphere anymore (the flame would point away from the oxygen source).

Answer 2

They put an oxidizer in the fule, so that it will burn... I asked the same question just a few months ago...

Answer 3

it burns in a sphere. but that is if you are supplying it with oxygen which is needed. i read this somewhere, maybe i can find the link source.

Answer 4

Hi. Here is a good explanation with pictures. http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2002/21aug_flameballs.htm

Answer 5

I found a link

http://microgravity.grc.nasa.gov/combustion/cfm/usml-1_results.htm

They have photos and an explanation.

Answer 6

Very nasty and unpredictable.