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



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

[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.

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

[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.

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

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...