Candle smoke often arises from an overly long wick. A lengthy wick continues burning after the flame is extinguished, producing smoke. Trimming the wick to 1/4 inch minimizes smoking. Also, inferior wax or impurities in the candle can increase smoke production when blown out.
Soy and beeswax candles generate less smoke compared to paraffin options. Extinguishing a candle by blowing can disrupt the flame, leading to flickering and smoke. A forceful blow can also splatter hot wax, producing smoke. Candle burning creates soot, which may accumulate inside the jar or on the wick.
Reasons Why Blowing Out a Candle Produces smoke
Combustion Process
combustion is a chemical reaction. It involves fuel and oxygen, creating heat, light, and byproducts.A candle’s fuel is its wax and wick. Oxygen comes from the air. Lighting the candle melts wax near the wick. Capillary action draws this melted wax up the wick. The flame’s heat turns the liquid wax into vapor. this vapor reacts with air’s oxygen and burns.
When a candle burns, wax molecules decompose and react with oxygen. This creates carbon dioxide and water vapor. The flame’s heat fuels this process,breaking the bonds between wax and oxygen. Light and heat are then emitted as energy.
Incomplete Combustion
ScienceDirect explains that incomplete combustion happens when there isn’t enough oxygen to fully burn the fuel. When you blow out a candle, the flame goes out, but the wax and wick remain hot.
The wax and wick’s heat still vaporizes the wax. However, there isn’t enough oxygen to fully burn it. Consequently, vaporized wax molecules merge, creating bigger, incompletely burned molecules. These larger molecules then escape as smoke.
Candle smoke contains minuscule soot particles and uncombusted wax. soot appears black, created when wax molecules merge lacking sufficient oxygen. Unburned wax becomes a gas, appearing as white smoke released into the air.
Oxygen Deprivation
Extinguishing a candle deprives the flame of oxygen. Oxygen fuels combustion, so the flame vanishes without it. The hot wax and wick still emit smoke briefly after the flame goes out.
unburnt Wax
Blowing out a candle creates smoke partly as the wax doesn’t fully burn. As a candle burns, the wax melts and turns into a gas. This gas mixes with oxygen, creating the flame. When you blow it out, the wax still becomes a gas, but it doesn’t ignite. This unburned wax cools down and forms the small particles we recognize as smoke.
Temperature Gradient
Extinguishing a candle generates a temperature difference. The flame emits meaningful heat, causing hot air to ascend. as this hot air rises, cooler air fills the void. When you blow out the candle, the upward flow of hot air ceases, and cooler air rushes in, creating a downward current. This downward current can force smoke and unburned wax particles toward the wick. There, they condense and produce smoke.
Science Behind Candle Smoke
Chemical Reactions
Lighting a candle initiates a process where the flame’s heat transforms the wax, composed of hydrocarbons, into vapor. This heat further decomposes these hydrocarbons into smaller molecules. These molecules then interact with oxygen from the air, resulting in carbon dioxide, water vapor, and additional heat. This chemical reaction, termed combustion, sustains the candle’s burning.
Extinguishing a candle stops the heat supply,yet wax vapor lingers. This vapor cools and forms minuscule liquid wax droplets. While still warm enough to vaporize, they lack the heat for combustion. Consequently, unburnt hydrocarbons and soot are released, generating visible smoke.
Physical Processes
Candle smoke isn’t solely composed of unburnt hydrocarbons and soot. It also includes water vapor, a byproduct of the combustion process. As hot wax vapor cools and condenses, it combines with this water vapor, creating the minuscule droplets we perceive as smoke.
Physical factors also influence smoke’s appearance. A drafty environment can cause the flame to waver, increasing smoke production. Lower wick length or inferior wax quality can darken the smoke’s color.
Tips to Minimize Smoke When Blowing Out a Candle
Use a Snuffer
A candle snuffer is designed to put out a candle flame cleanly, avoiding smoke. It smothers the flame, depriving it of oxygen, resulting in a quick, smoke-free extinction.Simply position the snuffer over the burning wick and allow a moment for the flame to die. Available in various designs, candle snuffers considerably reduce smoke compared to blowing out candles.
Trim the Wick
To further reduce candle smoke, trim the wick before each use. Long wicks often lead to flickering flames and increased smoke. Use scissors or a wick trimmer to shorten the wick to approximately 1/4 inch. This ensures a cleaner, more even burn, minimizing smoke when you extinguish the candle.
Avoid Drafts
Candle flames flicker and create excess smoke due to drafts.To reduce smoke when extinguishing a candle, position it away from drafts. Keep candles away from open windows, doors, and vents. If a drafty area is unavoidable, shield the flame with your hand or paper before blowing it out.