Candle in space

[Panic Button]

If there is a power cut in the space station, and they light the emergency candle, will it burn properly in zero gravity?

[cartoon-head]

Lol

[Panic Button]

If there is no gravity to make the 'exhaust' rise up, will it snuff itself out?

[ChuckFickens]

Good question panic!

I should imagine that convection doesn't work with no gravity so you would get a brief little fireball until the available oxygen is consumed around the wick and then, yes, it would snuff its self out as no more oxygen could be drawn in from the bottom (well there no longer is a bottom!)

[Panic Button]

They might get blobs of molten wax floating around too.

[ACtheTROLL]

this gets more zen every second
if the candle would self destruct - so would the flame used to light the candle - !!!!

if the oxygen stayed in one place there wouldn't be anyone to light the candle --- everyone would create their own vacuum (which nature abhors) and suffocate

I agree with the fireball - without "up" the heat would radiate in a ball - just like in starwars when the darkstar explodes.

the candle would create a vacuum which would be filled - causing air disturbance from all directions - and then it could get a bit complicated.

however - spaceships use an oxygen rich atmosphere so I guess striking a match would result in a dog impression

woooofffff!

[ChuckFickens]

this might be of interest..

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2002/21aug_ flameballs.htm

[ChuckFickens]

I imagined they would use a lighter in space rather than matches (or even a flint)

:)

a lighter should still work fine as the gas is released under pressure.

[Richard1966]

I think the emergency candle has a battery back up, just in case they have forgotten the matches.

[ACtheTROLL]

I suppose in space everything is lighter?
(lack of gravity and that)

[heathfield]

Very droll, Troll !! ;-)