Fire

Fire is the rapid oxidation of a fuel in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. Flames, the most visible portion of the fire, are produced in the combustion reaction when the fuel reaches its ignition point temperature. Flames from hydrocarbon fuels consist primarily of carbon dioxide, water vapor, oxygen, and nitrogen.

If hot enough, the gases may become ionized to produce plasma.
The color and intensity of the flame depend on the type of fuel and composition of the surrounding gases.

Back to Reactions & the Lab →

Source: Wikipedia · Image: Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0

IDITOL

The science of molecules — organic chemistry, biochemistry and chemical engineering, explained, with the calculators every chemist needs.

Get new guides by emailOccasional emails. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

InformationAbout Contact Privacy Policy Terms of Service Disclaimer Affiliate Disclosure Cookie Policy

Every species, image, fact, and figure is drawn from Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons, used under public-domain and Creative Commons licenses. No content is AI-generated.