Why is fire hot?
Talk about it together
What things do you think look bright and warm?
What about...?
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Transcript
Why is fire hot? Let's wonder together!
Wood has energy tucked inside it. When wood burns, that energy comes out as heat and light.
Burning happens when hot wood meets oxygen in the air. The wood and oxygen change into new stuff, releasing more energy.
That energy makes the tiny bits of air near the fire move faster. Fast-moving bits make the air warm.
So that's why fire is hot: burning lets energy out as heat and light. The warm air rises above it.
For grown-ups: the science
Fire is hot because burning lets stored energy come out as heat and light.
Fire is hot because combustion is an exothermic chemical reaction. Fuel reacts with oxygen to form new substances, releasing chemical energy as heat and light. Hot gases transfer energy by radiation and convection, while nearby materials can also warm by conduction.