The Chemistry of Fire

In order to have fire you need all three of these things.

Wood is made up mostly of Carbon with some Hydrogen and other molecules Heat energy makes the molecules move faster and eventually vaporize into a gas. Carbon mixes with oxygen forming carbon dioxide releasing energy Hydrogen mixes with Oxygen forming water as steam and releasing energy Light + +

Charcoal is not a rock or some type of coal. It is actually wood. When you heat wood in a metal box or a clay kiln not allowing in any oxygen it cannot catch fire, but it does allow all of the water and several of the other gasses to escape. What is left is pure carbon and non-burnable ash. When you burn the charcoal the carbon mixes with oxygen forming carbon dioxide and giving off light and heat energy. Light +

Carefully light a wax candle and watch the candle as it slowly burns. What happens to the wick? What happens to the wax around the wax? Remember changing states of matter is a physical change but burning involves a chemical change. Which part of the candle is going through a chemical change and which part is only going through a physical change? Defend your answer.