Candle Flame Dropped in Microgravity

A candle flame was dropped in a Mr. Microgravity EDUCATOR DROP TOWER to observe the effect of seemingly 'turning off' gravity.
You will see the flame suddenly reduce in height when it is released to fall in the drop tower. This is due to the upward force of gravity-driven convection on the flame gases is drastically reduced during free fall.

NOTE: After the initial reduction in height which lasts for about one-tenth of a second, the flame is seen to flare back up a bit. That flare is due to the residual air motion from the convective air motion that was initially established. The microgravity effect is seen with the reduction of the flame height within the first 0.1 seconds (in real time) after the experiment is released to fall.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• candle
• flame
• convection
• convective
• force
• gravity
• microgravity
• drop
• tower
• free
• fall
• zero

[SVKmellow]

It does what it should... just a shame it's too short.

[ThirdSon13]

The hot air normally goes up because of gravity. The flame is stretched upwards by the rising air.

The candle and flame feel like there is no gravity while it's falling.

When it's falling, the hot air just stays around the candle wick and doesn't stream upwards.

[ThirdSon13]

@RazorbackZach Yes, BECAUSE of gravity. I didn't say or mean that gravity pushes it up. But because gravity pulls down with more force on the dense, cold air than it pulls down on the less-dense, hot air, THEN cold air goes down and warm up goes. BECAUSE of gravity. In free fall like this experiment, gravity effects are gone and warm air does NOT go up and cold air does not go down.

[RazorbackZach]

@ThirdSon13 hot air doesn't go up because of gravity, it goes up because it is less dense than cold air

[Simasquirrel]

@TheArfdog Ever.

[TheArfdog]

That is the worst experiment setup.

[TheBoredSupremacy]

Not that this is really stellar but what's with all the thumbs down? Do idiots just not understand it and vote it down because they were just following the related videos?

[colombiak]

Lol ghetto ass lab

[faytisurdstny]

@AaronSzura You're...not your....learn grammar

[rubintax]

nice

[GronTheMighty]

@ThirdSon13 Well worded :)