I Didn’t Know That . . .

Q: Why does blowing on a candle put it out, but blowing on embers causes them to burst into flames?

A: Blowing on a candle removes the hot gases surrounding it and cools the flame and the wax below the temperature that supports combustion. But embers are starved for oxygen and blowing on them gently restores oxygen and allows them to burn. The same process occurs in a forge. But blowing too hard in these cases can also put out the fire.