Quick science question...

[onearmedbandit]

Back in school we learnt that there were 3 states of matter, liquid, solid, and gas. My question (and yes I know the answer, ahh I think) is out of the 3 states mentioned which is fire, or more specific, flame. To help, think of this as an example - a piece of wood burning.

Its not a trick question, nor is it that hard. But I want to see what the general line of thought is. I asked this question back in maybe 4th form of my science teacher. I wont say anymore as it may be leading.

[bugjuice]

my teacher wouldn't tell me which catagory toothpaste was in..
He also said everything the emits light, also emits heat - so what about glow-in-the-dark stuff..? no heat.. and when they light up in UV too..

As for fire, I'd bet gas, as it's using some form of gas (be it oxygen etc) to burn.. Really ain't solid, and liquid isn't going to help it, unless it's fuel!

[Posh Tourer :P]

Wel, it is gas that is emitting light due to excess heat. With bits of suspended solid in there also emitting heat into the surroundings

[DarkNinja]

i would have thought flame isnt really a matter but a form of energy in the form of heat and light changing the piece of burning wood from one solid state into another. Hmm, maybe....

[idb]

Man, I remember having this discussion late one night....don't remember the conclusion though.
I'd say it's a mixture of gas and carbon.
Is that sitting on the fence or what?

[wari]

WEll ... it wasnt me ... I didnt doit .. :spudwhat:

I DOnt even owna lighter :confused:

:sunny:

IN fact ... I Dindt even unner-standa question .. :wari:

:doobey:

[Velox]

I think fire's a reaction rather than matter.

[What?]

If you make a piece of steel very hot, it glows red.
If you do the same to a gas, the same thing happens.
The glow is the visual aspect of an effect, not a substance in it's own right.
Or something.

[FzerozeroT]

Is that you Buster? Or have you been in a recent conversation with him?

[Quasievil]

My Head hurts

[Slipstream]

Wel, it is gas that is emitting light due to excess heat. With bits of suspended solid in there also emitting heat into the surroundings

I know that Gas doesn't actually smell. They put the smell into it so you know if there's been a leak. :niceone:

As for you fire question.....huh? :confused:

[Sniper]

Its a gas, simple

[Paul in NZ]

If you want to know how anything works...

Go to "How Stuff Works"

http://science.howstuffworks.com/fire1.htm

Easy really...

Can't possibly think how people ever started fires befire we had the interwebby thingy to explain it all...

[ManDownUnder]

I would think that flame is the energy released from the reaction during the process of organic matter (likely in a gaseous form) reacting to form other gases.

If I recall the basics of the "matter" in question

CH4 + 4 O + energy (fire) ==> CO2 + 2 H2O

Both inputs and outputs are gas...

I recalle reading about a 4th state of matter... plasma (superheated gas?) Not sure how that fits into the grand scheme of things... any wisdom very welcome
MDU

[Motu]

I know that Gas doesn't actually smell. They put the smell into it so you know if there's been a leak. :niceone:

As for you fire question.....huh? :confused:

That's correct - if I fart in public I ask those close to me whether they would prefer apple blossom or country garden...I only have a limited range of smells,but all are excelent...in my opinion at least...

[vifferman]

Depends on the flame - if there's complete combustion, then the flame is gas and heat. If it's incomplete, then there's also a small amount of solid there, in the case of a wood fire, for example. Smoke from a flame is largely very small particulates (solids) and gases.

Toothpaste? Colloidal suspension (solids evenly distributed through a liquid).

[Ramius]

Earth, water and air are matter, Fire is not. Fire is better described as a chemical reaction. Gees, making me think before 9am is not good... :shake:

[ManDownUnder]

That's correct - if I fart in public I ask those close to me whether they would prefer apple blossom or country garden...I only have a limited range of smells,but all are excelent...in my opinion at least...

Do you take requests? I quite like that fresh baked apple pie smell with a hint of cinnamon

:shake: :yeah:

:shake: :yeah:

:shake: :yeah:

MAN

[Skunk]

Fire is a gas that emits light and heat. :apint:

[MSTRS]

That's correct - if I fart in public I ask those close to me whether they would prefer apple blossom or country garden...I only have a limited range of smells,but all are excelent...in my opinion at least...
Ahh...RiffRaff!! New bike - new name?

[Paul in NZ]

Fire is a gas that emits light and heat. :apint:

No. Follow the link I placed earlier...

[bear]

Back in school we learnt that there were 3 states of matter, liquid, solid, and gas. My question (and yes I know the answer, ahh I think) is out of the 3 states mentioned which is fire, or more specific, flame. To help, think of this as an example - a piece of wood burning.

Its not a trick question, nor is it that hard. But I want to see what the general line of thought is. I asked this question back in maybe 4th form of my science teacher. I wont say anymore as it may be leading.

Isn't there another form of matter now - plasma.

My vote would be for a combination, the wood is a solid, flames are a gas, the reaction of the fire transforms the matter from one to another.

I remember the classic example of solid/liquid/gas given at school was water.

[thehollowmen]

Isn't there another form of matter now - plasma.

My vote would be for a combination, the wood is a solid, flames are a gas, the reaction of the fire transforms the matter from one to another.

I remember the classic example of solid/liquid/gas given at school was water.

In fire, what is usually burning is usually gas... (the evaporated in the form of hydrocarbons) It is possible to pipe off this gas and burn it elsewhere... (They did this to make coal-gas)

plasma is oooold school

there are now 5 forms of matter (in order of getting hotter) : Bose-Einstein Condensates, Solids, Liquids, Gas, and Plasma :-D

(read all about it here: http://www.visionlearning.com/library/module_viewer2.php?mid=120&l=&let1=Che )

And I think Otago was the first university to play with Bose-Einstein Condensates.

[Blakamin]

Bose-Einstein Condensates.
is that when you pour e=mc2 on top of your german stereo???

[ManDownUnder]

is that when you pour e=mc2 on top of your german stereo???

I think it's when you spill Eistein's beer on his stereo... either way it can't be a good thing

[Slingshot]

I know that Gas doesn't actually smell. They put the smell into it so you know if there's been a leak. :niceone:

As for you fire question.....huh? :confused:

That's true for LPG...but other gases do smell...in fact, one that I produced this morning was quite pungent.

[duckman]

Your all wrong of course .....

Unless we ALL see the burning piece of wood and the flames it produced then it never existed and never happened....

Of course if we DID ALL see it then it was probably a figment of our imagination.

[ManDownUnder]

Your all wrong of course .....

Unless we ALL see the burning piece of wood and the flames it produced then it never existed and never happened....

Of course if we DID ALL see it then it was probably a figment of our imagination.

So that's exitstentialism meets some other theorist I never met...

*shudder*

[ManDownUnder]

That's true for LPG...but other gases do smell...in fact, one that I produced this morning was quite pungent.

but did it burn (and did you get singed?)

[Hitcher]

I know that Gas doesn't actually smell. They put the smell into it so you know if there's been a leak.
It may pay to check this thesis with Riff Raff...

[Hitcher]

Do you take requests? I quite like that fresh baked apple pie smell with a hint of cinnamon
Served with Hokey Pokey icecream.

[ManDownUnder]

Served with Hokey Pokey icecream.

... and chocolate sauce?

[jrandom]

Since MDU, vifferman and thehollowmen have already covered the facts, I can't think of anything to say here.

Except that I am SO going to remember that line about the beer on the stereo for the next time I'm talking to a physics geek. It's beautiful.

[Hitcher]

... and chocolate sauce?
No need to overdo things...

[MrMelon]

I know that Gas doesn't actually smell. They put the smell into it so you know if there's been a leak. :niceone:

As for you fire question.....huh? :confused:

Pull my finger!

[ManDownUnder]

Pull my finger!

...shit no...

[Wonko]

My 2 cents.

Fire is a chemical reaction.
Visable flame is heated carbon amd other byproducts from incomplette burn - solid.

[duckman]

My 2 cents.

Fire is a chemical reaction.
Visable flame is heated carbon amd other byproducts from incomplette burn - solid.

Oh sure, thats what YOU say ... :yeah:

[ManDownUnder]

I found it!

a flame is LOVE!

"Love is a flame that burns in your name"... Sting said it, and I've read it too - so it must be true!

[Hitcher]

Close your eyes, give me your hand, darling
Do you feel my heart beating
Do you understand
Do you feel the same
Am I only dreaming
Is this burning an eternal flame

I believe it's meant to be, darling
I watch you when you are sleeping
You belong with me
Do you feel the same
Am I only dreaming
Or is this burning an eternal flame

[ManDownUnder]

Close your eyes, give me your hand, darling
Do you feel my heart beating
Do you understand
Do you feel the same
Am I only dreaming
Is this burning an eternal flame

I believe it's meant to be, darling
I watch you when you are sleeping
You belong with me
Do you feel the same
Am I only dreaming
Or is this burning an eternal flame

If you are serenading me, you should know I'm really not that kind of boy...

[Hitcher]

you should know I'm really not that kind of boy...
You say that now...

[ManDownUnder]

You say that now...

Yeah well... in this case My opinions are like my underwear - I'm sticking to them!