The Basics of Fire
Fire is a form of exothermic chemical process that occurs when oxygen in the air and combustible fuels react with each other. The reaction releases heat and light that sustains the fire. It can be natural, manmade or a combination of both. A fire can be deadly, but can also be used for many different purposes. Depending on the type of fuel and the amount of oxygen, a fire can produce significant damage.
In most cases, fire is a natural process. There are three types of heat that are produced in fire: radiation, conduction and convection. Radiation takes the form of light, while conduction and convection transfer heat through the air. These heats are more dangerous than flames because they can melt clothing and scorch the skin. If a fire is too close to the floor, it can burn people’s nostrils and eyes. When a house is surrounded by flames, the hot air can reach 600 degrees at eye level.
Convection is a heat transfer that is achieved by a plume of hot gases reaching the ceiling. It is often used in thermal power stations to ignite fuels. Steam from fossil fuels in power plants provides the power needed to drive turbines. As a result, a large percentage of the world’s electricity comes from fossil fuels.
The Great Fire of London started in a bakery and then spread into the surrounding merchant district. Throughout history, humans have used fire for cooking, signaling, incinerating waste and generating heat and light. Among the most recent applications are internal combustion vehicles.
When a fire is complete, the resulting products are water and carbon dioxide. Some of the other products are smoke, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. Complete combustion produces no other products. However, incomplete combustion may occur when the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere is too low or when there is not enough fuel. This results in less heat energy than in a complete fire.
Combustion is a chemical process that can be slow or fast depending on the available oxygen and the amount of fuel. Complete combustion results in the release of only water and carbon dioxide, while incomplete combustion produces smoke, carbon dioxide and other gases. Because of this, it is important to prevent any possible hazard from a fire.
For fire to be effective, it must contain at least 16 percent oxygen. Without oxygen, combustion cannot take place. But, as long as there is a continuous supply of fuel, the fire can propagate. The heat that is released from the flame keeps the fuel at ignition temperature. Once the fuel has reached the flame’s maximum temperature, it starts to decay. That’s why a fire can turn into a major one in just a few minutes.
Flames are typically blue. They are accompanied by black smoke, which is composed of unburned carbon particles. At times, the flame can be seen through the smoke, which is called a plume.
Flames are dangerous to inhale because of the super-hot air they produce. Inhaling the smoke can cause serious damage to the lungs.