What is Fire?

[punkncat]

Defined in part by encyclopedia.com as:

"The phenomenon of combustion as seen in light, flame , and heat."


Its so hard to really define. We all know what it is from the first time we encounter it, its almost instinctive.
It acts so much like a living creature. It requires food and air. It leaves behind waste....

What is fire to you? How would you describe it in words?

[grEnAlEins]

the release of energy. While it does occur in a combustion reaction, it is not "of combustion" as it is not exclusive to cumbustion, it is of Exothermic rxn. Stupid encyclapedia (SP?)

[Steelrat]

Fire Bad!!!!!

[grEnAlEins]

Fire Bad!!!!!

[quik]

this thread sucks

[Dark Side]

How do you put fire out? With Napalm of course. Can't wait to read the news about the guy who tries this.

[grEnAlEins]

How do you put fire out? With Napalm of course. Can't wait to read the news about the guy who tries this.

HEY!!!! That doesnt work, thanks alot, now I have no eyebrows...

[Muffins]

Defined in part by encyclopedia.com as:

"The phenomenon of combustion as seen in light, flame , and heat."


Its so hard to really define. We all know what it is from the first time we encounter it, its almost instinctive.
It acts so much like a living creature. It requires food and air. It leaves behind waste....

What is fire to you? How would you describe it in words?

Fire is the result of the release of energy and one of the greatest symbols of entropy, the idea that all matter tends towards disorder/destruction without a net input of energy (or loss of energy). Specifically, this energy typically comes from the breaking of the bonds between the Carbon and Hydrogen atoms in organic materials (ie: wood). When the energy is released, it is basically absorbed by the electrons, which become highly energetic and jump to higher energy levels, called orbitals. However, the electrons stay at this point for only a moment (which is an immeasurably small period of time), because they don't have the energy to keep them there. Therefore, they fall back down and release the energy the originally absorbed, and the energy is converted into light and heat-->FIRE!

I hope you needed that for a lab report or something, because I feel like a huge nerd now. I guess the cat's out of the bag...

[fire1811]

What is fire to you? How would you describe it in words?

work/fun

[slade]

fire is the combustion of hydrocarbons in the presence of oxygen to form H2O and CO2... or rather the energy released when such an event occurs after the energy barrier is broken.