The brief explanation:
The sample to be lit (ie. CH4) reaches ignition temperature, molecules are ripped apart and form new bonds with oxygen in the air. The forming of new bonds releases energy, as heat and light.
Light is released because when the molecules are given energy the atoms reached an "excited state", and releases that energy in the form of light:
an electron orbiting the nucleus of the atom was to a higher energy level, then dropped to a lower energy level. You can see basically the same thing when a hot object starts to glow red->yellow->white... The colour of the light depends on the wavelength, which is inversely proportional to the energy of that photon of light!
an electron orbiting the nucleus of the atom was to a higher energy level, then dropped to a lower energy level. You can see basically the same thing when a hot object starts to glow red->yellow->white... The colour of the light depends on the wavelength, which is inversely proportional to the energy of that photon of light!
The combustion of something like Methane (CH4) is a simple example we can work with to describe fire. The chemical equation is
ost of the time there just isnt enough oxygen to keep up with the chemical reaction, so instead of CO2 being formed there will be some CO or even just C (carbon, aka soot)
When the reaction takes place, bonds in the ethanol molecule are broken and the released atoms reaction with oxygen to form the products just mentioned and water (H2O).
For the bonds to be broken/formed, energy needs to be provided. This is why we typically need to heat somethig to a very hight temperature to provide the energy. As the bonds break, energy is released, which then provides more energy for more bonds to be released and so on. The sample has now ignited.
The additional energy being released is in the form of heat (kinetic energy of molecules) and light (photon packets of energy)
smoke is compounds of oxygen carbon and hydrogen