Buzz
Trick birthday candles are fascinating to watch in action. Just when you think you've blown them out, they reignite moments later. For those unfamiliar with this clever invention, a brief demonstration video is available by clicking the image below.
Grasping the concept of trick birthday candles starts with understanding traditional candles. Learn more about candle mechanics here. The crucial aspect for trick candles is the glowing ember left after extinguishing a standard candle. This ember heats the wick enough to release paraffin smoke but not enough to ignite it.
The secret to a candle that relights lies in adding a material to the wick that can be ignited by the ember's heat. This material then ignites the paraffin vapor. Magnesium is often cited as this material because it combusts at a relatively low temperature of about 800 degrees Fahrenheit (430 degrees Celsius), making it ideal for this purpose.
Within the wick, magnesium is protected from oxygen and kept cool by liquid paraffin. However, once the flame is blown out, the residual heat ignites the magnesium particles. Observing closely, one can see small magnesium sparks, one of which provides enough heat to reignite the paraffin vapor, bringing the candle flame back to life.
- Metals that ignite spontaneously
- Candles with a magical relighting feature
- Patent: Candle capable of self-ignition
