Why Does a Candle Melt?

What Crafty Clover says in this video

Intro

Hey there, curious minds! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. Why does a candle melt?

The Big Idea

Candle wax is a solid fuel. The flame melts the wax nearby into a liquid. The wick soaks up that liquid, and the flame burns it as vapor. So a puddle of wax climbs the wick and burns!

Flame Starts

Step one: the flame starts. A grown-up lights the wick. The flame's heat travels down the wick, and melts a little wax into a puddle.

Wax Melts, Wick Drinks

Step two: the wax melts, and the wick drinks. Only the pool of wax melts. The rest of the candle stays solid. The wick soaks up that liquid wax, and the liquid climbs up it, just like a straw!

Vapor Burns

Step three: the vapor burns. Near the flame, the hot liquid turns into a vapor, and the vapor burns. That makes heat and light, and the candle slowly gets shorter.

A Closer Look

Let's take a closer look at a candle! The wick soaks up the melted wax. The wax pool is the small puddle of liquid. The rest of the wax stays solid. The flame has zones. The bright yellow is glowing soot, and the dark middle is wax vapor.

Quick Facts

Quick facts! A candle needs oxygen, so a glass over it snuffs the flame. Trim the wick so the flame does not smoke. Crayons and some plastics soften the same way near heat, so keep them away from flames. Used wax is gone. It burned away as vapor!

Think Like a Scientist

Now, think like a scientist! With a grown-up, watch a candle burn. Watch where the first puddle forms. Is it at the top, the middle, or the bottom? And stay safe around flames!

Outro

A candle is a tiny fuel factory. Melting, climbing, burning: that's science! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!