Why does a candle make no smoke when it is lit but makes a lot of smoke when you blow it out?

Question

Why does a candle make no smoke when it is lit but makes a lot of smoke when you blow it out?

In: 5243

Answer 1

The “smoke” is the wax evaporating from the wick and condensing into tiny particles. When the candle is lit, this evaporated wax is what’s burning. The wick is mainly providing a surface for the wax to evaporate from.