4 ms·
One thing that always amazed me is how the wick burns at just the right speed, how it keeps pace with the wax. Neither does it burn away too quickly leaving not
by im3w1l 6y ago
One thing that always amazed me is how the wick burns at just the right speed, how it keeps pace with the wax. Neither does it burn away too quickly leaving nothing to keep the flame going, nor does it burn too slowly leaving decimeters of wick when the candle is burnt out.
I guess there must be some feedback process going on, which makes a long wick burn faster than a short one.
- jeffbee 6y agoThe wick is in a local negative feedback cycle with its fuel. If it were to burn “too fast” then its fuel input rate will be reduced, and it would burn more slowly. If the negative feedback mechanism didn’t exist, the candle combustion reaction would runaway and the whole thing would explode.
- smegger001 6y agoAs GOOP discovered... https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/mar/19/experience-gwyneth-paltrows-vagina-candle-erupted-in-my-front-room https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/mar/19/experie...
- avidiax 6y agoThere probably are some feedback loops like this, but there's also just a careful balance between the wick size, the size of the jar, the formulation of the wax, the preparation of the candle, and the use of it. Some examples of things that can go wrong: https://www.candlescience.com/wax/soy-wax-trouble-shooting-guide https://www.candlescience.com/wax/soy-wax-trouble-shooting-g...