The smaller flame remains until the wax at the base of the wick melts to a liquid. When the puddle of wax is formed, the candle uses capillary action in order to form wax vapor and maintain the flame. This means that a chain of molecules attach to each other and pull each other up the wick. As a molecule reaches the top of the wick, it has enough heat to go through the combustion reaction and become wax vapor, CO2, in order burn and essentially “fuel the flame.” When this happens, the flame is able to grow again and sustain a consistent size until all of the wax in the candle is used and the flame runs out of wax vapor to
The smaller flame remains until the wax at the base of the wick melts to a liquid. When the puddle of wax is formed, the candle uses capillary action in order to form wax vapor and maintain the flame. This means that a chain of molecules attach to each other and pull each other up the wick. As a molecule reaches the top of the wick, it has enough heat to go through the combustion reaction and become wax vapor, CO2, in order burn and essentially “fuel the flame.” When this happens, the flame is able to grow again and sustain a consistent size until all of the wax in the candle is used and the flame runs out of wax vapor to