How does the wax burn without touching the flames in a candle?
The wax in a candle burns without touching the flame because of a scientific principle called capillary action, which is the ability of a liquid to flow in narrow spaces without the need for external forces.
Here's a step-by-step explanation of how the process works:
1. When you light the candle, the heat from the flame melts the wax near the wick.
2. As the melted wax is in a liquid state, it starts to move up the wick due to capillary action.
3. Capillary action occurs because the narrow fibers of the wick allow the liquid wax to climb against gravity.
4. As the liquid wax moves up the wick, it gets closer to the flame.
5. Once the liquid wax reaches the flame, it vaporizes and combines with the oxygen in the air to create a combustion reaction. This reaction produces heat, light, carbon dioxide, and water vapor.
6. As the wax near the flame is used up, more liquid wax is drawn up the wick through capillary action, allowing the candle to continue burning.
In summary, the heat from the flame melts the wax, which then capillarily travels up the wick to be burned, sustaining the flame without direct contact.