Question

Name the different zones of a candle flame. Give details of the conditions in each zone.

Answer 1

Different zones of a candle flame



As shown in the above diagram, a candle flame has four zones. They are as follows:

Innermost zone: The flame starting from the wick has a small blue colour zone. Here, carbon monoxide produced by the incomplete combustion of carbon particles burns to give blue color.

Central zone: It lies above the innermost zone, where no combustion takes place. It is not a hot zone. It consists of unburnt vaporised particles of the wax.

Luminous zone: It is luminous and consists a pale yellow glow above the central zone. It is formed by incomplete combustion of wax vapors in limited supply of oxygenated air.

Non-luminous zone: It is the outermost and the hottest zone of the flame above the luminous flame. It is formed by complete combustion of wax vapours with plenty of oxygen available from the surrounding atmospheric air.