Why and How is Fire Hot chemically?
- Thread starter Rick
- Start date
- Status
I think it's more physics that results in chemistry or maybe the other way around
Anyhoo, Fire is the release of energy in whatever is used as the combustable material. It's a hugely volatile affair and the heat is simply a by product of that interaction.
Rub your hands together for a full minute. They get hot. This from the exchange of energy starting with electrical impulses in the brain which cause the arms to move. Sugars in the muscles fuel the action. The reaction is heat. therefore heat is enegry. e=mc2.
Anyhoo, Fire is the release of energy in whatever is used as the combustable material. It's a hugely volatile affair and the heat is simply a by product of that interaction.
Rub your hands together for a full minute. They get hot. This from the exchange of energy starting with electrical impulses in the brain which cause the arms to move. Sugars in the muscles fuel the action. The reaction is heat. therefore heat is enegry. e=mc2.
Technically, in physics, there is no such thing as "cold". EVERYTHING in the entire universe has heat. Things we think of as "cold" simply have less heat.
That being said, heat is a measure of the excited state of the electrons in a given object/substance. If the electrons are more excited, the object has more heat. During a chemical process such as burning, electrons get so excited that the original substance is broken down and heat is produced.
That being said, heat is a measure of the excited state of the electrons in a given object/substance. If the electrons are more excited, the object has more heat. During a chemical process such as burning, electrons get so excited that the original substance is broken down and heat is produced.
Northwind ...
Those sneekly little electrons!
And all this time I thought is was because of the release
of energy that occurs when different elements/molecules
interact and recombine once a critical ignition temperature
is reached.
Damn.
Take care, and welcome to Sciforums
Those sneekly little electrons!
And all this time I thought is was because of the release
of energy that occurs when different elements/molecules
interact and recombine once a critical ignition temperature
is reached.
Damn.
Take care, and welcome to Sciforums
Last edited:
The flame you see from fire is actually a macro view of some violent chemical reactions.
Chemical reaction combining atoms in such a way that electrons are jumping to higher orbits all over the place. They don't like being up there (kinda like magnets don't like being oriented the wrong way to each other), so they jump back down again, closer to the nucleus, and the energy they had but can't hold up there leaves as heat/light/kinetic.
I have spoken with oracles from all four corners of the enlightened world and come forth with the answer....
FIRE IS...
"The primary manifestation of the realease of energy from molecules which are undergoing change, due to the fact that they have ben exposed to an increase in energy.
This increase in energy, has pushed them over the point of transition where their own internal-molecular bonds energy, can be released.
Basically the fire is not the flame, the flame is the visual energy produced by the fire which is essentially the release of the energy contained in that which is burning. Matter = energy.
All matter contains and is contsructed of energy. I also read once that a thing which is burned weighs more after the fire than before. If you take all of the residue, coupled with the weight of the smoke and gasses produced. add them all together and the result will weigh more than the original.
Isn't physics funny?
I thought heat has nothing to do with electrons. It's the light of the fire that is caused by the electrons.
here's how:
The heat is the potential energy of the molecules. More potential energy (faster moving [on average] molecules) is more heat.
The electrons get knocked out of their normal energetic states by the collisions (due to the higher potential energy) to elevated energetic levels. When they fall back they emit photons.
At least that is what I have been told.
here's how:
The heat is the potential energy of the molecules. More potential energy (faster moving [on average] molecules) is more heat.
The electrons get knocked out of their normal energetic states by the collisions (due to the higher potential energy) to elevated energetic levels. When they fall back they emit photons.
At least that is what I have been told.
bbcboy ...
"I also read once that a thing which is burned weighs more after
the fire than before. If you take all of the residue, coupled with the
weight of the smoke and gasses produced. add them all together and
the result will weigh more than the original."
Sounds right. Remember, all the oxygen that combines with the material
being burned has mass whereas the heat, radiation, released doesn't.
At least, I think that's how it goes.
Take care
"I also read once that a thing which is burned weighs more after
the fire than before. If you take all of the residue, coupled with the
weight of the smoke and gasses produced. add them all together and
the result will weigh more than the original."
Sounds right. Remember, all the oxygen that combines with the material
being burned has mass whereas the heat, radiation, released doesn't.
At least, I think that's how it goes.
Take care
Emission of Infrared-wavelength photons.
Posted by Mr. G.
But why does this happen?
"The primary manifestation of the realease of energy from molecules which are undergoing change, due to the fact that they have ben exposed to an increase in energy.
Posted by bbcboy
Posted by Mr. G.
But why does this happen?
"The primary manifestation of the realease of energy from molecules which are undergoing change, due to the fact that they have ben exposed to an increase in energy.
Posted by bbcboy
rain of walrus
Registered Member
depending
since water and oxygen are both annihiliated by the fire/heat. how could the finished "burnt" product weigh more than the original?
even counting all fiery by-products, wouldnt a burnt watermelon actually weigh less than its original form?
since water and oxygen are both annihiliated by the fire/heat. how could the finished "burnt" product weigh more than the original?
even counting all fiery by-products, wouldnt a burnt watermelon actually weigh less than its original form?
rain of walrus
Registered Member
disbelief and other random emotions!
thank you, Wet1. Ive posted on a hundred forums and this is my first official Welcome Wagon. Im logging this one for the record books!
thank you, Wet1. Ive posted on a hundred forums and this is my first official Welcome Wagon. Im logging this one for the record books!
Reign_of_Error
Registered Senior Member
rain of walrus>
"since water and oxygen are both annihiliated by the fire/heat. how could the finished "burnt" product weigh more than the original?
even counting all fiery by-products, wouldnt a burnt watermelon actually weigh less than its original form?"
If you were to burn a watermelon, the water molecules(H2O) in it would be evaporated, not annihilated.
Oxygen atoms in the air are combined with something when it is burnt, so they aren't annihilated either.
But to answer your question, a watermelon would way less after it is burnt due to dehydration.
"since water and oxygen are both annihiliated by the fire/heat. how could the finished "burnt" product weigh more than the original?
even counting all fiery by-products, wouldnt a burnt watermelon actually weigh less than its original form?"
If you were to burn a watermelon, the water molecules(H2O) in it would be evaporated, not annihilated.
Oxygen atoms in the air are combined with something when it is burnt, so they aren't annihilated either.
But to answer your question, a watermelon would way less after it is burnt due to dehydration.
- Status