No. Way.

paulieindy · 3 months

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

seattleque · 3 months

Yes. Way.

Learned this as a magic trick when I was about 10.

Kids! Remember to ask your parents before you go playing with fire.

ConorPF · 3 months

Upvote for perfectly looping gif.

EqualPeaceComp · 3 months

[deleted]

luckynumberorange · 3 months

Smoke is just unburned particles, which can still ignite. When a room reaches a flashover stage, that means that all products in the room, including the smoke, have reached their flash point and catch on fire. This image is simply demonstrating that concept.

yc_delmir · 3 months

I totally thought this was the Are You Afraid of the Dark logo

l3lackstar · 3 months

This is not /r/WTF worthy, this is more /r/woahdude 's territory

vanblah · 3 months

Yes. Try it yourself.

Plancus · 3 months

I CAN ANSWER THIS VIA SCIENCE! I did a project on candle brightness this year!

The reaction of candle wax, heat, and oxygen in incomplete--meaning that the average reaction has some reactant left over.

Paraffin + O2 + heat --> light + heat + CO2 + H2O + Distribution of hydrocarbons

Basically, smoke has still usable fuel.

mrhumpty2010 · 3 months

JStrach · 3 months

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4wlwNP1YtA

brusspup has tonnes of good shit just like this too.

youcanttakemeserious · 3 months

post this to /r/gif, or seriously anything other than /r/WTF, WTF makes this /r/WTF material

Metr0Sky · 3 months

Was anyone else scared, and expecting something to pop out of the screen when the fire blew out?

jCcrackhead · 3 months

This is cool, yes. WTF, no.

Loehmann · 3 months

Immediately after you blow out a candle, that visible smoke is actually vaporized paraffin which is flammable. I googled how candles work and tried this at home. It's a trip.

madusa77 · 3 months

Didn't you do this in science class?

ksigler · 3 months

Well thank $DEITY for the internet, because apparently no one learns shit in Science class any more.

InnokentiyOphir · 3 months

Way.

TheEpicSalad · 3 months

Have you never taken a science class?

JackRawlinson · 3 months

Yes way. This is one of those "fun sciencey things you can do" that I thought every kid in the universe knew.

herqleez · 3 months

i was doing that in 87'

fuckallthat · 3 months

Not wtf. I saw that back in the 3rd grade

jellybonesy · 3 months

Some people must have skipped chemistry in high school.

Mance_Rayder · 3 months

all right seriously? I did this in 9th grade science...

Musclecar123 · 3 months

Grade 6 science class.

[deleted] · 3 months

TIL there are people who did not spend hours and hours of their childhood doing this.

blade2000 · 3 months

Re: Re: Re: Re: Cool flame trick!

[deleted] · 3 months

Its not the wick that burns on a candle, its the vapor of the wax that's flammable. That's why you're able to light a candle just by igniting the vapor.

fire_investigator · 3 months

Think of smoke as fuel. Most solid items don't really "burn," but rather give off gases which add fuel to the fire.

apullin · 3 months

Yeah. The "smoke" is actually vaporized wax from the still-hot wick.

country22 · 3 months

Psh, my dad taught me this trick when I was 7! (smoke is actually a solid) I proceeded to do the trick at all family gatherings henceforth.

Roninspoon · 3 months

Welcome to science.

fruicyjuit · 3 months

Here is a scientific look at this that explains it.

FedexSentMeAHead · 3 months

Smoke is actually very flammable. Google "Smoke explosions", oxygen deprived burning contains many combustion intermediates. Particularly plastics and other oil derived household items. They have the ability to give off some nasty flammable smoke. When a firefighter breaks a window enough oxygen will introduce and provide the smoke with the ability to finally reach the end of its reaction.

Beardedtacofish · 3 months

Ask any firefighter, smoke is fuel.

mediaG33K · 3 months

The first time I heard about this, I entertained myself for hours. Went through 2 BIC lighters and a whole candle.

RandomMandarin · 3 months

Yep, the way candles actually work is that the heat vaporizes wax and it's the vapor that burns. Not the solid wax. Therefore you can relight the vapor like in that gif.

rofl_pilot · 3 months

Way.

McBurger · 3 months

Not smoke, wax vapor.

DENelson83 · 3 months

This is a perfect illustration of smoke being a sign of incomplete combustion.

shockingnews213 · 3 months

awesome but it's a repost

mtskier7 · 3 months

Go try it. It's legit

btotheoomer · 3 months

Is it weird that I care more about how awesomely this gif is looped rather than what is happening in it?

itachi101fight · 3 months

Seems like this should be in r/trees.

JensK42 · 3 months

My chemistry teacher sophomore year showed us this and I went home and did that for about an hour. Completely worth it.

givealittlelove · 3 months

Phiysics.

s3gfau1t · 3 months

This will be buried but, I sneezed just when the candle went out.

Ghooble · 3 months

I always loved doing this. It's a cool party trick.

FarRightWinger · 3 months

In America underground electrical cable often catches fire due to rodent activity or the insulation deteriorating due to environmental conditions and electrical load. As the insulation burns it releases gas that is both toxic and flammable. If pressure builds it can knock man hole covers 10's of feet into the air.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGbM1V8r0sM&feature=related

furnatic · 3 months

It's because smoke is simply unburned particles. I learned this in the fire academy during our fire behavior course. But yes, that's why you can die from smoke inhalation. You're breathing in particles which are clogging your lungs.

vkicks · 3 months

Somebody should just make a subreddit for brusspup's YouTube videos. All this talk about subreddits.

MyLazySundays · 3 months

I thought that was a pen for a little bit there.

theredkrawler · 3 months

Related topic: You can get electrocuted if you are using a flame to solder (ie: oxy/acetalyne) and you hit a live wire.

The electricity can pass through the flame, strong enough to give you a good belt (and since you only need ~50mA of current to die, possibly kill you).

My mind was blown.

Shindayam · 3 months

Candle wax is fuel for the flame. The smoke is just wax as a gas, so you can light the candle back on fire easily.

pvpsaaandopefresh · 3 months

PVP SAAAN

PizzaGood · 3 months

Is this not something that kids do anymore? They probably don't even let kids play with candles anymore these days. Friggin' nannies

themakeup · 3 months

How is science what-the-fuck worthy? Are you a starfish named Patrick?

LeCasualRage · 3 months

I really thought there was something in the dark :( I was getting ready to jump.

darthrobyn · 3 months

How in the blue fuck did this get upvoted so many times?

LETSBACON · 3 months

i set fire to the smoke and then i touched your faaccceeeeeee

Katykakle · 3 months

excuse me, I must go try this.

JTyler82 · 3 months

I've done this. It's hardly wtf

Nolanoscopy · 3 months

Oh sweet. I got sad when this wasn't on the front page for 2 days.

GorillaMeat · 3 months

Shown this by my 4th grade science teacher, it got me to pay attention for the rest of the year.

Rain_pig · 3 months

Eh, I already knew this. This does not belong in r/WTF

Kerokidd · 3 months

You don't science, do you? Apearantly 3,040 others don't either.... This doesn't belong here.

mewditto · 3 months

Dafuq

paulieindy · 3 months

It's the paraffin wax particles in the smoke; they are still, for the most part, hot. And when suspended in air, it can catch fire to more than just the wick. Let's say you put something over it, which I doubt you'd have over a candle anyway, but, it's the paraffin that catches it. The flame just ignites the paraffin.

For example, you have a piece of paper over the candle at a decent height of about 10 inches. The paraffin will eventually stick to the paper and the heat will ignite the paraffin.

MyiPadisDirty · 3 months

I once cajoled my coworkers to come to my desk and watch me do this trick. Well I stood there like an idiot attempting it for 20 minutes straight and couldnt do it. They all eventually walked away...

jpjones7 · 3 months

When smoke ignition happens all at once (despite the title this is a backdraft not a flashover) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cH79ePz_l8

thaswasup · 3 months

guy no 1: it this real life guy no 2 who is slightly more educated: yes

Jov_West · 3 months

Doing this repeatedly would make for a good world record.

kyoto12 · 3 months

At first i was like oh crap that old creepy lady from insideous was gonna pop out

top2percent · 3 months

Candle smoke isn't really smoke, it's just atomized wax particulate which is very flammable.

Martyr_the_swedes · 3 months

OP is a dummystupid for not knowin- oh wait, carry on.

Lanfeardk · 3 months

cookiebox123 · 3 months

Wrong subreddit

bunhead · 3 months

Am I the only one who got really excited for "Are You Afraid of the Dark?"?!

thisperson123 · 3 months

......my brain.....it hurts.

gdstudios · 3 months

I learned this in 6th grade. The only catch is that it seems to do it easier the first couple times... after that you have to let it burn for awhile.

chelseabees · 3 months

I feel like you are all trolling me and that when I try this, you will all mock me to oblivion.

Regular_Ghost · 3 months

I saw this posted about a month ago and coincidentally showed the trick to a friend tonight. Freaky Pasta.

dat_redditor · 3 months

Everybody knows this

Lazerface666 · 3 months

Firefighter academy graduate here! Smoke is nothing but unburned vaporized fuel. It is very flammable. The only thing stopping it from igniting is either it is too cold, or there is not enough oxygen present.

raccooneyes · 3 months

What? WHAT?! This both confuses and angers me!

captaintmane · 3 months

I call bullshit.

haru101 · 3 months

SCIENCE MOTHA'FUCKA' SCIENCE

sexytime26 · 3 months

This entertained me for five minutes straight. I just sat here staring. Haha

zitrixfrost · 3 months

OP. You are FUCKING retarded!

DylanTGB · 3 months

DUMBLEDORE IT'S YOU :O

noodlesnstuff · 3 months

Way.

M0b1u5 · 3 months

I am ignorant. Laugh at me.

Fixed your title for accuracy, under reddit protocol Orange 11

BurntTheToast · 3 months

congrats. you have now passed middle school science

Fully-Torqued · 3 months

ಠ_ಠ

AngeloScuderi · 3 months

I was expecting a meme to pop out..

prevosis · 3 months

/r/woahdude

musenji · 3 months

Oh yeah, I remember this from childhood--I learned it from this book:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51Zdtl4WA9L._SL500_AA300_.jpg

Enchanted_Muffin · 3 months

This has been reposted more than its been upvoted

MARATHONcompany · 3 months

I call Hax

rakki9999111 · 3 months

thats old, and if you didnt know that theres a problem. what are you, st- oh. i just saw your username. have a great day!

Vaethin · 3 months

That's like the first thing we learned in science class ...

cubester · 3 months

Tried it this morning, seems this trick only works when the candle has been freshly lit. As soon as a pool of melted wax has accumulated at the top I couldn't seem to reignite it. You can see a difference in the smoke as well, the fresh smoke is much whiter and thicker.

BlazerJ · 3 months

I'm going to try this now.

somegrass · 3 months

THIS IS NOT WTF IS WRONG WITH YOU

artg1291 · 3 months

PVP DOPE FRESH SAAAAAN

DLP7142 · 3 months

if done right you can do that with almost anything. its not the object that burns its the vapor coming off from the object that burns caused from the heat. thats why you can restart the flame through the smoke

WTF

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