TED-Ed: Is fire a solid, a liquid, or a gas? - Elizabeth Cox

The video explores the nature of fire, emphasizing its sensory experience rather than its classification as a state of matter. Fire is not solid, liquid, gas, or plasma but a chemical reaction called combustion. This reaction involves fuel, heat, and oxygen, producing carbon dioxide, water vapor, and light. The video explains how flames get their shape and color, influenced by temperature and molecules. It also discusses how fire sustains itself and eventually extinguishes when fuel or oxygen runs out.

What is a common misconception about the nature of fire?

• Fire is a gas.

• Fire is a plasma.

• Fire is a liquid.

• Fire is a solid.

How is fire similar to the changing color of leaves in fall?

• Both are sensory experiences of chemical reactions.

• Both are stable states of matter.

• Both involve a change in temperature.

• Both are physical changes.

What three elements are necessary for combustion to occur?

• Fuel, heat, and oxygen

• Fuel, light, and oxygen

• Fuel, water, and light

• Heat, water, and oxygen

What causes the flames of a fire to taper?

• The density of the fuel

• The color of the molecules

• The expansion and rising due to gravity

• The presence of soot

Which substance can change the color of flames when added to a fire?

• Aluminum

• Copper

• Iron

• Zinc