• Question: Why can we not physically hold flames?

    Asked by felizadam to Adam, Catherine, Karen, Leila, Nazim on 14 Mar 2012.
    • Photo: Leila Battison

      Leila Battison answered on 13 Mar 2012:

      Flames are what you get when a fuel burns, and the energy that is given off when it is burning makes light and heat. As the light and heat disperses, you get a compiclicated flame.

      If you wanted to hold a flame, you could put on some fireproof gloves and hold the burning fuel, but you wouldn’t be able to hold the flame itself, because it is just loose energy dispersing in the air.

    • Photo: Adam Stevens

      Adam Stevens answered on 13 Mar 2012:

      A flame is just really really hot air that has been ionised (had all its electron stripped off). So it’s for the same reasons we can’t ‘hold’ normal air, and also why you can’t hold a really hot pan!

    • Photo: Nazim Bharmal

      Nazim Bharmal answered on 14 Mar 2012:

      A flame is basically hot gas that is burning and has had its electrons ejected so when they return, light is released. So like other gasses like steam or air, we couldn’t hold a flame. Plus, it would hurt to get close unless you had special equipment.

      There was a TV show recently that showed that in grass fires in South Africa, the flames are hot at 200 degrees Celsius, but the hot gasses just above the flames were at 400 deg C which is way hotter than the best oven. But also a really good temperature for baking pizza!

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