Eli5 How does a flame light a candle if it is touched to the smoke trail of a just blown out candle.
In: Chemistry
The smoke trial still has unburnt wax that the flame vaporised whe candle was previously lit. Basically, when the wax burns, most of it reacts with oxygen to make mostly carbon dioxide and water vapour but some of the wax doesn’t get the chance to react and is essentially left hanging! Bringing another flame to the smoke trail will give that vaporised wax a second chance to react with oxygen and the flame will follow the vapour trail back to the candle.
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