Candles can be lit by their vapor trail

mumrah · 2012-10-04T15:24:45+00:00

Paraffin only burns when it is vaporized. When you light a candle, the match vaporizes some wax in the wick which then combusts and starts the cycle. When you snuff the flame, you see unburned vapor that is flammable.

adish · 2012-10-04T14:42:35+00:00

thanks for not making this another shitty TIL

Helpfulandattractive · 2012-10-04T16:15:22+00:00

Random redditor at home test

rreyv · 2012-10-04T15:10:24+00:00

Whoa when does this gif begin?

insanopointless · 2012-10-04T15:30:58+00:00

I read Candles as Canadians for some reason. Time for bed

greycubed · 2012-10-04T14:21:27+00:00

Deluminator

arisasdf · 2012-10-04T15:36:06+00:00

Ah, one of the most precious of internet rarities, the seamless animated gif.

GuitarWizard90 · 2012-10-04T15:44:29+00:00

I suspect there will be an increase in house fires today. Strangely, all the homes will belong to redditors....

wsgy1111 · 2012-10-04T15:33:24+00:00

Interesting fact about this pic: it is actually an animated gif

Dannydouble_u · 2012-10-04T16:00:31+00:00

Thanks for the perfectly looped gif!

Alexdale86 · 2012-10-04T15:50:22+00:00

Anyone seeking more info might also check here:

title	comnts	points	age	/r/
Sorcery!	14^coms	155^pts	7^mos	gifs
This just blew my mind	12^coms	119^pts	3^mos	gif
No. Way.	362^coms	926^pts	3^mos	WTF
Relighting candle from a distance	0^coms	10^pts	1^mo	gifs

source: karmadecay

PunPuncher · 2012-10-04T16:13:07+00:00

I'm glad that I can learn this from reddit every month or so, in case I forget.

Rstar32 · 2012-10-04T14:59:18+00:00

I need a candle!

akumadiavolo · 2012-10-04T17:10:51+00:00

Welcome to middle school. If you chew on an Wintergreen life saver in the dark you can see it spark. Neato huh?

helloyesthisisgod · 2012-10-04T17:40:26+00:00

Smoke is made up of the byproducts of unburned combustibles. Which means that when heated to a certain point, will ignite (see rollover and flashover in house fires)

FireFightinChick · 2012-10-04T17:40:54+00:00

Smoke is the result of incomplete combustion, and IS flammable. (That's what a flashover or backdraft is- the violent explosion of all those unburned particles).

TheRepostReport · 2012-10-05T00:07:23+00:00

title	comnts	points	age	/r/
Candles can be lit by their vapor trail (xpost pics)	8^coms	150^pts	7^hrs	chemicalreactiongifs
Sorcery!	14^coms	155^pts	7^mos	gifs
This just blew my mind	12^coms	119^pts	3^mos	gif
No. Way.	362^coms	926^pts	3^mos	WTF
Relighting candle from a distance	0^coms	10^pts	1^mo	gifs

SimilarImage · 2012-10-04T14:30:38+00:00

Age	User	Title	Reddit	Cmnt	Points
6 months	Balizzm	Sorcery!	/r/gifs	14	155
3 months	hotshotgfx	This just blew my mind	/r/gif	12	119
3 months	dummystupid	No. Way.	/r/WTF	362	926

See 1 more match at KarmaDecay

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blade2000 · 2012-10-04T16:06:45+00:00

This shit AGAIN??!!! Posted every few months for YEARS!

harryson · 2012-10-04T15:43:48+00:00

Video in slow-mo

Goliath89 · 2012-10-04T15:52:47+00:00

Found this out a few years ago. I spent way more time doing this that day than I'd ever like to admit.

manlord · 2012-10-04T15:54:14+00:00

Mr. Wizard taught me this.

pkillaz · 2012-10-04T16:03:16+00:00

Dat loop

WhiskeyDickCheney · 2012-10-04T16:03:32+00:00

I just burned the shit out of my thumb trying this.

biggie101 · 2012-10-04T16:05:18+00:00

Why does the flame trail down and not up?

Someone science the shit out of my mind, please

ChronicMasterBaker · 2012-10-04T16:06:45+00:00

I always try this every time I see this gif. It's never worked for me =[

bronzebuns · 2012-10-04T16:11:00+00:00

vapor = smoke?

bamp · 2012-10-04T16:13:25+00:00

Are you a wizard?

HeizenDerper · 2012-10-04T16:17:46+00:00

black magic

deviantlucifer · 2012-10-04T16:26:00+00:00

On of the few gifs I have seen recently, that I had to watch in it's entirety to determine where the beginning and end where. Well done OP.

Llamadeezy · 2012-10-04T16:27:02+00:00

I just did this about 42 times at my place. Guess who's gonna be the new cool guy at dinner?

Chesstariam · 2012-10-04T16:46:11+00:00

I learned this is elementary school... And now it's on the front page.

end_guy · 2012-10-04T16:51:09+00:00

best chemistry experiment ever

GiraffeCabbage · 2012-10-04T16:56:14+00:00

brbg2gtest WHAT IS THIS TRICKERY

6chan · 2012-10-04T17:02:19+00:00

We learned this in 4th grade i think, the vapor trail is supposedly vaporized wax which is inflammable.

lasermole · 2012-10-04T17:10:50+00:00

Ah! I love doing that! Its like a magic trick :) Fun to show to friends.

fractal7 · 2012-10-04T17:14:58+00:00

I learned this several decades ago. Amazing tricks was the book I think.

RonaldFuckingPaul · 2012-10-04T17:15:44+00:00

repost

Hewgag · 2012-10-04T17:16:16+00:00

I am going to go do this RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!

mcqueeb · 2012-10-04T17:25:40+00:00

I'm gonna rock this at the next party!

Burns down the house.

Ajunk · 2012-10-04T17:26:29+00:00

Holy shit that is a well looped gif.

kkkilla · 2012-10-04T17:34:05+00:00

i do this all the time and it always freaks people out

toddbass10 · 2012-10-04T17:38:40+00:00

instead of a TIL this is a "When I was 10 I learned"

spectralnischay · 2012-10-04T17:40:32+00:00

Now where's that picture that shows this picture and the Internet and a sliding bar timeline ...

fthflyer · 2012-10-04T17:43:27+00:00

HOLY. FUCKING. SHIT.

TheGrimmace · 2012-10-04T17:46:40+00:00

One of my roommates showed me this one night, blew my mind and thought I might have possibly been living with a wizard. Thank you for putting my worries to rest

clam_chips · 2012-10-04T17:49:24+00:00

Relevant

sgtscherer · 2012-10-04T17:55:04+00:00

Blasphemy

Hokay168 · 2012-10-04T18:00:18+00:00

I remember my science teacher from the 4th grade did this in class. I was in awe.

krait1 · 2012-10-04T18:06:27+00:00

Dat Loop

ModernRonin · 2012-10-04T18:09:26+00:00

s/ vapor trail / smoke plume /

skytomorrownow · 2012-10-04T18:15:45+00:00

Isn't this how rocket stoves work -- by reigniting the escaping vapor?

Bluedemonfox · 2012-10-04T18:19:34+00:00

My guess is that there was still unburnt carbon in the smoke.

FAcup · 2012-10-04T18:25:41+00:00

Been using this as a party trick for years.

Success in pulling ladies: 0

Electric_unicorn · 2012-10-04T18:44:12+00:00

mother of god removes glasses

Appletacos · 2012-10-04T18:57:06+00:00

I just tried it and it didn't work so...

tisraels · 2012-10-04T18:57:59+00:00

Original video. This guy has done some other cool illusions as well.

hfreks · 2012-10-04T19:00:27+00:00

Just searched my house for a candle, came up empty. Now sitting here disappointed. Time to masturbate.

noahbody27 · 2012-10-04T19:00:56+00:00

I don't want to rain on anyone's candle parade, but you should be aware that the emissions from burning candles are similar to the exhaust fumes from a diesel engine. See: http://www.lead.org.au/lanv7n4/L74-9.html

Benzene, lead, and incompletely combusted hydrocarbons really kill the romance if you ask me.

zmilla93 · 2012-10-04T19:03:05+00:00

Knowing this bit of information won me a dollar bet.

PostGhost · 2012-10-04T19:07:27+00:00

I just tried it, and it DID work. Either someone is doing it wrong, or...

InsecticideDoom · 2012-10-04T19:16:52+00:00

I want this as a moving background for my phone.

duetmasaki · 2012-10-04T19:17:22+00:00

Does it have to be a certain kind of wick?

Greenergy · 2012-10-04T19:19:09+00:00

MAJIK! LOL

homerjaythompson · 2012-10-04T19:30:28+00:00

Well now I know what I'm doing tonight.

bucsfan2580 · 2012-10-04T19:32:45+00:00

Despite knowing that already, very cool gif.

bboy_swag · 2012-10-04T19:36:28+00:00

I think I'm using the wrong kind of candle... It doesn't work at all.... :(

ru5ty · 2012-10-04T19:38:24+00:00

i did this for hours, as a child.

Baskanavitch · 2012-10-04T19:46:19+00:00

I can't believe that in all my years of being a borderline pyromaniac that somehow managed to not burn anything down, I did not discover this.

Have all my upvotes.

MitchIsTheMan · 2012-10-04T19:58:35+00:00

I fucking did this in chemistry class 2 weeks ago.

whats_the_deal22 · 2012-10-04T20:11:47+00:00

I can't wait to be a pyro when I get home.

ReptarBars69 · 2012-10-04T20:30:17+00:00

I must try this

DENelson83 · 2012-10-04T20:31:49+00:00

Again, smoke is just incomplete combustion.

elgraf · 2012-10-04T20:38:46+00:00

You think that's weird, put a lit candle in a microwave for a few seconds.

Nostrometheus · 2012-10-04T20:46:12+00:00

I just did it and said "YEAH BITCH! SCIENCE!"

__Rainbow_Dash__ · 2012-10-04T21:35:10+00:00

If I had a penny for every time I've seen this gif on Reddit, I'd have about $.04.

Pat1234567890 · 2012-10-04T21:48:39+00:00

I have got to try that

elPusherman · 2012-10-04T22:02:05+00:00

At last, I am a Sorcerer.

mr0slay · 2012-10-04T22:25:22+00:00

That's the only sign of god i need. Check mate atheiests!

renco · 2012-10-04T22:48:17+00:00

Thanks for ruining my one cool party trick.

GregorMendel · 2012-10-04T23:21:56+00:00

I don't believe it, and will be trying this presently.

** Update ** Tried with 3 different candles and 2 different methods of re-lighting (matches and butane lighter). Multiple trials with each candle, 0 results of re-lighting the candle in question.

Either the methodology shown here is incomplete, or this is false.

tomminixjr · 2012-10-04T23:41:17+00:00

Why stuff like this doesn't get more upvotes is mind boggling to me

heshroot · 2012-10-04T23:46:36+00:00

Just tried. Didn't work. Man.

tsuki_toh_hoshi · 2012-10-04T23:49:06+00:00

My sister and I figured that out as teenagers, it was cool to us

burnthatchet420 · 2012-10-04T23:50:53+00:00

I learned this at about 7 with "my first chemistry set" it was labeled as a magic trick

brady714 · 2012-10-04T23:51:23+00:00

repost.

blaster16661 · 2012-10-05T00:00:59+00:00

you're a demon!

deesnuts · 2012-10-05T00:47:09+00:00

Cartelman · 2012-10-05T00:51:57+00:00

Fake, i can see the pixels

who_are_you_really · 2012-10-05T01:36:13+00:00

best party trick ever!

Txistulari · 2012-10-05T02:08:04+00:00

The first time I ever had this happen to me was with hash spliff. I've tried to explain but no one will believe until they see it. How the fuck does this work?

n_reineke · 2012-10-05T02:30:06+00:00

pretty sweet in this example, but that little bit of science also kills firefighters. (flashovers)

Ex_Ex_Parrot · 2012-10-05T05:09:08+00:00

Epic GIF is epic.

miraclerandy · 2012-10-05T05:21:51+00:00

This is wrinkling my brain.

BigGulpsHuh7 · 2012-10-04T15:41:00+00:00

SO FREAKIN OLD BRAH

wmarnold · 2012-10-04T15:33:30+00:00

Unoriginal people can get karma by reposting.

Chazington · 2012-10-04T15:57:18+00:00

I've seen this somewhere before... Oh yeah, on Reddit about 15 times before this.

corgi_butt · 2012-10-04T16:02:20+00:00

I've lost track of how many times I've seen this gif lol

mew1994 · 2012-10-04T16:58:02+00:00

repost!

BTEpro · 2012-10-04T18:28:59+00:00

Repost. Karma whore.

deja-vu-comment · 2012-10-04T14:00:32+00:00

Yes. Seriously. New smoke from the flame has flammable residue in it. Try it. It's not wtf, it's what the awesome.

Edit: check out my new subreddit! /r/wta

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