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From: gml@ssc-vax.UUCP (Gregory M Lobdell)
Newsgroups: net.sci,net.space
Subject: Re: Would a candle burn ...
Message-ID: <65@ssc-vax.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 25-Jul-85 12:10:41 EDT
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Posted: Thu Jul 25 12:10:41 1985
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> > Actually, I would suspect that this would depend on the diffusion rate of
> > CO2 in the ambient atmosphere. If CO2 would diffuse at a high enough rate
> > then (assume the presence of O2) the candle should continue to burn at an
> > ever decreasing rate. 
> 
> Wouldn't the rate of decrease stabilize at some equilibrium?  I want to know
> what a flame in zero gravity looks like.

The problem might be that the rate would stabilize below the minimum
needed to support combustion, i.e. not enough heat generated to melt
wax, drive CO2 diffusion, etc. The flame would probably be round, or
slightly flattened on the side near the fuel source.

The current space program uses a 100% O2 atmosphere.  If you lit a
flame in such an atmosphere, would all the dust and other random
particles ignite in the presence of the flame?

>From: fluke!allegra!convex!hosking (Doug Hosking)
>
>I don't know, but I'd hate to think of what the melted wax would do if
>it did burn!

But it seems to me that the surface tension of the wax would be
great enough to keep it from floating away, and if it did float away
it would probably skin over before it caused any problems.