Everything about Candle totally explained
A
candle is a
light source, and sometimes a
heat source, consisting of a solid block of
fuel and an embedded
wick.
Prior to the mid-19th century, candles were made from
tallow (a byproduct of beef-fat rendering). Nowadays, they're usually made from
wax.
Paraffin wax is the most common, but there are also candles made from gel, soy and beeswax.
A candle manufacturer is traditionally known as a
chandler. Various devices have been invented to hold candles, from simple tabletop candle holders, to elaborate
chandeliers.
The heat of the
match used to light the candle melts and vaporizes a small amount of
fuel. Once vaporized, the fuel combines with
oxygen in the atmosphere to form a
flame. This flame provides sufficient heat to keep the candle burning via a self-sustaining chain of events: the heat of the flame melts the top of the mass of solid fuel, the liquified fuel then moves upward through the wick via
capillary action, and the liquified fuel is then vaporized to burn within the candle's flame.
The burning of the fuel takes place in several distinct regions (as evidenced by the various colors that can be seen within the candle's flame). Within the bluer regions,
hydrogen is being separated from the fuel and burned to form
water vapor. The brighter, hotter, yellower part of the flame is the remaining
carbon being oxidized to form
carbon dioxide.
As the mass of solid fuel is melted and consumed, the candle grows shorter. Portions of the wick that are not evaporating the liquid fuel are consumed in the flame, limiting the exposed length of the wick and keeping the temperature and rate of fuel consumption even. Some wicks require manual trimming with
scissors or a wick trimmer for even burning.
History
In
Rome, around the first century, candles were made out of tallow and the
pith of
rushes. The
Egyptians and
Cretans made the candle from
beeswax, as early as 3000 BC. The early candle was made from various forms of natural fat, tallow, and wax. In the 18th century,
spermaceti, oil produced by the
sperm whale, was used to produce a superior candle. Late in the 18th century,
colza oil and
rapeseed oil came into use as much cheaper substitutes.
Paraffin was first distilled in 1830, and revolutionized candle-making, as it was an inexpensive material which produced a high-quality, odorless candle that burned reasonably cleanly. The industry was devastated soon after, however, by the distillation of
kerosene (confusingly also called
paraffin oil or just
paraffin). Recently
resin based candles that are freestanding and transparent have been developed, with the claim that they burn longer than traditional paraffin candles.
Usage
Before the advent of
electricity, candles and oil lamps were used for illumination. Until the
19th century, candles were more common in northern
Europe. In southern Europe and the
Mediterranean, oil lamps predominated.
Today, candles are used mainly for their aesthetic value, particularly to set a soft, warm, or romantic ambiance, and for emergency lighting during electrical
power failures.
Scented candle are used in
aromatherapy.
Religion
Candles are used in the
religious ceremonies of many faiths.
Sikhism
The candle is used in
Sikhism on
Diwali, the festival of light.
Buddhism
Candles are a traditional part of
Buddhist ritual observances. Along with
incense and flowers, candles (or some other type of light source, such as butter lamps) are placed before Buddhist shrines or images of the Buddha as a show of respect. They may also be accompanied by offerings of food and drink. The light of the candles is described as representing the light of the Buddha's teachings, echoing the metaphor of light used in various Buddhist scriptures. See
Ubon Ratchathani Candle Festival for an example of a Buddhist festival that makes extensive use of candles.
Hinduism
In almost all
Hindu homes,
lamps are lit daily before the altar of the
Lord. In some houses, the lamps, or candles, at dawn, and in some, twice a day - at dawn and dusk - and in a few, it's maintained continuously.
A
diya, or clay lamp, is frequently used in Hindu celebrations and forms an integral part in many social rites. It is a strong symbol of enlightenment and prosperity.
In its traditional and simplest form, the diya is made from baked clay or
terracotta and holds oil or
ghee that's lit via a cotton wick.
Traditional diyas have now evolved into a form wherein waxes are being used as replacements for oils.
Christianity
In
Christianity the candle is commonly used in
worship both for decoration and ambience, and as a symbol that represent the light of
God or, specifically, the light of
Christ. The
altar candle is often placed on the
altar, usually in pairs. Candles are also carried in
processions, especially to either side of the
processional cross. A
Votive candle or
taper may be lit as an accompaniment to
prayer.
Candles are lit by
worshippers in front of
icons in
Eastern Orthodox,
Oriental Orthodox,
Eastern Catholic and other churches. This is referred to as "offering a candle", because the candle is a symbol of the worshipper offering himself or herself to God (and proceeds from the sale of the candle are
offerings by the faithful which go to help the church). Among the Eastern Orthodox, there are times when the entire congregation stands holding lit tapers, such as during the reading of the
Matins Gospels on
Good Friday, the
Lamentations on
Holy Saturday,
funerals,
Memorial services, etc.
In the
Roman Catholic Church a liturgical candle must be made of at least 51%
beeswax, the remainder may be parafin or some other substance. In the Orthodox Church, the tapers offered should be 100% beeswax, unless poverty makes this impossible. For this reason, the stumps from burned candles are usually saved and melted down to make new candles.
In some
Western churches, a special candle known as the
Paschal candle, specifically represents the
Resurrected Christ and is lit only at
Easter,
funerals, and
baptisms. In the Eastern Orthodox Church, during
Bright Week (Easter Week) the
priest holds a special
Paschal trikirion (tripple candlestick) and the
deacon holds a large candle during all of the services at which they serve.
In
Sweden (and other
Scandinavian countries),
St. Lucia Day is celebrated on
December 13 with the
crowning of a young girl with a wreath of candles.
Judaism
In
Judaism, a pair of candles are lit on Friday evening prior to the start of the weekly
Sabbath celebration. On Saturday night, a special candle with several wicks is lit for the
Havdalah ritual marking the end of the Sabbath and the beginning of the new week.
The eight-day
holiday of
Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is celebrated by lighting a special
candelabrum or
Hanukkiyah each night to commemorate the rededication of the
Temple in Jerusalem.
A memorial candle is lit on the
Yahrtzeit, or anniversary of the death of a loved one according to the
Hebrew calendar. The candle burns for 24 hours. A memorial candle is also lit on
Yom HaShoah, a day of remembrance for all those who perished in the
Holocaust.
Candles are also lit prior to the onset of the Three Festivals (
Sukkot,
Passover and
Shavuot) and the eve of
Yom Kippur.
A candle is also used on the night before
Passover in a symbolic search for
chametz, or leavened bread, which isn't eaten on Passover.
Kwanzaa
The Candle is also used in celebrations of
Kwanzaa, which is an
African American holiday which runs from
December 26 to
January 1. The kinara: has three red, one black, three green.
Humanism
For some
Humanists the candle is used as a symbol of the light of
reason or
rationality. The Humanist festival of
HumanLight often features a candle-lighting ceremony.
Unitarian Universalism
A common element of worship in many
Unitarian Universalist churches and fellowships is the lighting of candles of joy and concern. Here members of the congregation may come up to the altar or chancel, light a votive or other candle, and share a personal concern or joy with the community. Unitarian Universalists also incorporate candle-lighting ceremonies from other spiritual traditions, from which they draw inspiration.
Wicca
In
Wicca and related forms of
Neopaganism, the candle is frequently used on the altar to represent the presence of the God and Goddess, and in the four corners of a ritual circle to represent the presence of the four
classical elements:
Fire,
Earth,
Air, and
Water. When used in this manner, lighting and extinguishing the candle marks the opening and closing of the ritual. The candle is also frequently used by Wiccans and other Neopagans for
magical and meditative purposes. Altar candles are traditionally thick tall candles which are available in many colours. Most popular though unless at certain sabbats, are the black and white altar candles.
Timekeeping
With the fairly consistent and measurable burning of a candle, a common use was to tell the
time. The candle designed for this purpose might have time measurements, usually in hours, marked along the wax. The
Sung dynasty in China (960–1279) used candle-clocks. By the 18th century, candle-clocks were being made with weights set into the sides of the candle. As the candle melted, the weights fell off and made a noise as they fell into a bowl. A form of candle-clock was used in coal-mining until the 20th century.
In the days leading to Christmas some people burn a candle a set amount to represent each day, as marked on the candle. The type of candle used in this way is called the
Advent candle, although this term is also used to refer to a candle that decorates an
Advent wreath.
Raqs sharqi
In
raqs sharqi, candles are used as a complementary element in some dance styles. The candles can be either be held on the dancer's hand or above her head, depending on what the choreography demands.
Fuel and candle holders
The candle can be made of
paraffin (a byproduct of
petroleum refining),
stearin (now produced almost exclusively from palm waxes),
beeswax (a byproduct of
honey collection),
gel (a mixture of
resin and
mineral oil), some plant waxes (generally palm,
carnauba,
bayberry, or
soy), or
tallow (rarely used since the introduction of affordable wax alternatives). The candle is produced in various colors, shapes, sizes and scents. The most basic production method generally entails the liquification of the solid fuel by the controlled application of heat. This liquid is then poured into a mold to produce a pillar type candle, a fireproof jar to produce a candle container, or a wick is repeatedly immersed in the liquid to create a dipped taper. Often,
fragrance oils are added to the liquid wax prior to pouring. Natural scents, in the form of
essential oils, can also be used. The candle may also be colored by the addition of some sort of coloring agent. This is almost always an
aniline-based dye, although pigments can be used in some circumstances.
A candle typically produces about 13
lumens of
visible light and 40
watts of
heat, although this can vary depending primarily on the characteristics of the
candle wick. For comparison, note that a 40 watt
incandescent light bulb produces approximately 500 lumens for the same amount of power. The modern
SI unit of
luminous intensity, the
candela, was based on an older unit called the
candlepower, which represented the luminous intensity emitted by a candle made to particular specifications (a "standard candle"). The modern unit is defined in a more precise and repeatable way, but was chosen such that a candle's luminous intensity is still about one candela.
It is commonly believed that the candle made of
beeswax burn more cleanly than
petroleum based
paraffin waxes. However highly-refined paraffin wax can burn as or more cleanly (with regards to particulates created during combustion) than natural waxes. The type of wick and inclusion of any scents and/or dyes have a much greater impact on the release of compounds, particulates, and smoke, regardless of the base material. The cleanest burning candle will therefore be unscented, undyed, and a well constructed candle burning in a draft free area. Furthermore, a candle will function well when formulated waxes are blended together (soy, paraffin and other waxes) and fragrance oils along with wick selections are balanced properly.
A smoke film can be a concern to those who frequently burn a candle indoors and is also referred to as ghosting, carbon tracking, carbon tracing. Smoke can be produced when a candle doesn't burn the wax fuel completely. A scented candle can be a source of candle smoke deposits. Trimming candle wicks to about 6 millimeters (¼ in) or shorter is recommended to keep smoking at a minimum. A flickering flame will produce more smoke, therefore a candle should be burned in an area free from drafts. (See
(External Link
) for more details.)
Additional debate on the use of wax in a candle exist on what is "natural". Proponents of the soy wax candle will note the material is biodegradable and "all natural". However, most soy beans that result in the ultimate manufacture of soy wax in the candle are genetically modified. Paraffin wax, as used in candle making, is also biodegradable. It also often meets the United States' Food and Drug Administration criteria for use in foods and in contact with food.
Decorative candle holders, especially those shaped as a pedestal, are called
candlesticks; if multiple candle tapers are held, the term
candelabrum is also used. The root form of
chandelier is from the word for candle, but now usually refers to an electric fixture. The word
chandelier is sometimes now used to describe a hanging fixture designed to hold multiple tapers.
Many candle holders use a friction-tight socket to keep the candle upright. In this case, a candle that's slightly too wide won't fit in the holder, and a candle that's slightly too narrow will wobble. Any candle that's too large can be trimmed to fit with a knife; a candle that's too small can be fitted with aluminum foil. Traditionally, the candle and candle holders were made in the same place, so they were appropriately sized, but
international trade has combined the modern candle with existing holders, which makes the ill-fitting candle more common. This friction tight socket is only needed for the federals and the tapers. For
tea light candles, there are a variety of candle holders, including small glass holders and elaborate multi candle stands. The same is true for votives. Wall sconces are available for tea light and votive candles. For pillar type candles, the assortment of candle holders is broad. A fireproof plate, such as a glass plate or small mirror, is a candle holder for a pillar style candle. A pedestal of any kind, with the appropriate sized fire proof top, is another option. A large glass bowl with a large flat bottom and tall mostly vertical curved sides is called a hurricane. The pillar style candle is placed at the bottom center of the hurricane. A hurricane on a pedestal is sometimes sold as a unit.
Electric candle warmers are now being sold so that candle wax can be melted to release the fragrance without requiring an open flame.
Hazards
The candle can be a major cause of dangerous fires in households. (An electric
candle warmer can be used to release fragrance without the risk of an open flame.)
The liquid wax is hot and can cause skin burns, but the amount and temperature are generally rather limited and the burns are seldom serious. The best way to avoid getting burned from splashed wax is to use a
candle snuffer instead of blowing on the flame. A candle snuffer is usually a small metal cup on the end of a long handle. When placed over the flame the oxygen supply is cut off. They were used daily when the candle was the main source of lighting a home, before electric lights were available.
Glass candle holders are sometimes cracked by thermal shock from the candle flame, particularly when the candle burns down to the end.
A former worry regarding the safety of candles was that a
lead core was used in the wicks to keep them upright in container candles. Without a stiff core, the wicks of a container candle could sag and drown in the deep wax pool. Concerns rose that the lead in these wicks would vaporize during the burning process, releasing lead vapors — a known health and developmental hazard. Lead core wicks have not been common since the 1970s. Imported candles may still be found to have some lead core wicks. Today, most metal-cored wicks use
zinc or a zinc
alloy, which has become the industry standard. Wicks made from specially treated paper and cotton are also available.
The hottest part of the flame is just above the very dull blue part to one side of the flame, at the base. At this point, the flame is at 1,400°C.
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