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If you ask a child to draw fire or an adult to describe it, you’ll probably end up with a picture of orange, yellow, and red flames. But, in fact, fire can span the entire spectrum of visible light and while most of us associate fire with yellows and reds, when we turn on a gas stove, the flame is blue with just a hint of orange.
Violet is the hottest color fire. It can burn at around 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit (1,650 degrees Celsius). That’s hot enough to burn almost any material and a violet flame is often seen in welding and cutting operations for this reason.
But that isn’t the only fire that can reach these higher temperatures. So, let’s take a look at flames and their colors in more detail.
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Also read: Is Fire Alive? Properties and Stages of Fire and Flames
Table of Contents
- What Is It That Makes Flames Of Different Colors?
- What Colors Can Be Found In Fires?
- Which Color Represents The Hottest Fire?
- How Hot Is Red Fire?
- How Hot Is Orange Fire?
- How Hot Is Yellow Fire?
- How Hot Is Green Fire?
- How Hot Is Blue Fire?
- How Hot Is Indigo Fire?
- How Hot Is White Fire?
- How Hot Is Violet Fire?
- What Chemicals Can Produce Different Colored Flames?
- What Is The Color Of Fire?
- Sources
- Related Articles
What Is It That Makes Flames Of Different Colors?
The colors of flame are determined primarily by the heat of the flame as this affects the wavelength of the electromagnetic radiation (light) that is produced.
However, the color may also be influenced by what is being burned (such as copper producing a greenish tint to flames) and by how well the substance is being burned.
That latter point is very important, it’s why when burning a single gas, for example, using a welding torch that you find yourself confronted by two cones of flame of varying color.
The hottest part of the flame is where the substance is being completely consumed (or as close to complete as possible) in conjunction with the oxygen it is burning in, whereas the reaction is much less efficient in the coolest part of the flame.
Also read: Is Flammability A Chemical Or Physical Property?
What Colors Can Be Found In Fires?
All colors of the spectrum can be found in flames, in fact, this includes the parts of the spectrum that are not, typically, visible to the human eye and they can include:
- Infra-red
- Red
- Orange
- Yellow
- Green
- Blue
- Indigo
- White
- Violet
- Ultra-violet
In the main, the color of a fire is a good indicator of the temperature of that fire, but not always as we shall see in a few minutes.
Also read: Does Fire Have Mass? What Does It Weigh?
Which Color Represents The Hottest Fire?
The hottest color flames include; violet, ultra-violet, indigo, and some blue flames, as they can all reach up to 3000 degrees Fahrenheit (1650 Celsius).
Also read: Does Fire Kill Germs/Bacteria/Viruses?
How Hot Is Red Fire?
Red fires are the coolest of fires. This helps to explain why most of us associate reds, yellows, and oranges with the color of fire – cooler fires are more common in nature than hotter ones.
A red flame, typically, gets to a maximum of about 800 degrees Celsius, that’s about 1470 degrees Fahrenheit. While it may not be the hottest fire it can easily melt glass, tin, zinc, and more.
Also read: How Hot Is A Lighter Flame?
How Hot Is Orange Fire?
Orange flames are hotter than red flames and they can easily be made by burning common items, there’s no need to delve deep into your chemistry set for them.
An orange fire can produce a maximum of around 1100 degrees Celsius and 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, this flame is hot enough to melt gold and copper and the “Bronze Age” came into being when mankind first learned to consistently produce an orange flame.
How Hot Is Yellow Fire?
A yellow flame is not a lot hotter than an orange flame and it only ekes out an extra 100 degrees Celsius or so to provide a 1200 degrees Celsius or 2,220 degrees Fahrenheit maximum heat.
This adds a little flexibility to the metal worker’s armory but doesn’t drastically change what can be done with the flame.
How Hot Is Green Fire?
As we warned about earlier, not all colors relate to the heat of a flame. And green is the color that you have to watch out for because a green fire only indicates the chemical(s) that is(are) being burned (which is most commonly, copper).
You can’t gain any information about the heat of the flame from this color and that means you should be very, very careful around a green flame as the temperature could be drastically higher than you might have expected it to be.
How Hot Is Blue Fire?
Blue fires can get quite a bit hotter than yellow fires and they can range between 1400 degrees Celsius (2,550 Fahrenheit) and 1,650 degrees (3,000 Fahrenheit)!
Welcome to the Iron Age. Once humans learned to make and control blue fires, they began to be able to melt brown iron ores and extract iron.
Also read: How Hot Does Propane Burn? Answered
How Hot Is Indigo Fire?
An Indigo flame burns at the top end of the Blue fire range at 1,650 degrees Celsius and 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit respectively.
However, it’s easier to control the heat output from an Indigo flame than a blue one, due to the smaller temperature range and heat output.
That makes Ironworking easier too and the production of glass because sand melts at just 100 degrees below the temperature of the Indigo Fire.
How Hot Is White Fire?
White fires, as we’ve already noted, are the hottest fires completely in the visible spectrum and they can burn as high as 1,500 degrees Celsius (Blue and Indigo will contain some part of the ultra-violet spectrum as will Violet itself) or 2730 degrees Fahrenheit.
When people talk of things being “white hot” it’s because white flames are super-hot and they can easily burn through Cobalt, Nickel, and even the radioactive material Uranium. You really don’t want to be on the receiving end of a white flame.
How Hot Is Violet Fire?
Violet fire is the hottest of them all and our ability to use violet fire in industrial methods means that we are able to work with cast iron and steel, as well as creating the hardest porcelain and melting the toughest of metals – titanium.
A Violet flame burns at temperatures above 1,650 degrees Celsius and 3,000 Fahrenheit and you won’t be able to make a hotter flame.
What Chemicals Can Produce Different Colored Flames?
You still need to be cautious when it comes to using the color of a flame to gauge its temperature. That’s because impurities and other chemicals can cause a colored element of a flame that you might not have been expecting.
If this is the case, the physical appearance of a fire may be either be exaggerating or underestimating the heat that it puts out considerably.
Some examples of typical reactions that cause specific flame colors are listed here, however, we must stress – this is not an exhaustive list.
- Strontium chloride/nitrate – can turn a flame red.
- Carbon and/or calcium chloride – can turn a flame orange. This is a very common reaction when you’re making a fire outdoors for cooking or for warmth.
- Sodium chloride (table salt), sodium carbonate and borax – can all turn flames yellow.
- Copper and/or barium – may turn a flame green (and remember green flames never have a link to the temperature of the flame)
- Copper chloride and totally consumed carbon – can result in a blue flame.
- Indium – results in Indigo flames.
- Magnesium and magnesium sulfate – can both lead to a bright white flame.
- Potassium nitrate AND potassium sulfate together – burn with a violet flame.
You can see a variety of flames colors and how they are made here:
What Is The Color Of Fire?
Despite all of the different colors that fire can be, there’s no doubt that for human beings the color of fire remains orange/red/yellow.
But why is that? After all, we’ve known that fire can burn in different colors for tens of thousands of years (possibly much longer), surely our definition should have changed by now?
Well, it turns out that the vast majority of things human beings burn, tend to contain a whole lot of carbon. That is wood, paper, coke, charcoal, coal, oil, etc.
And as we’ve just seen, unless carbon burns completely, it produces an orange flame.
Once all the carbon has been consumed in the fire reaction, then the flame will often change color as the remaining fuels burn hotter than the carbon does.
Sources
Related Articles
How Hot Is Lightning? Hotter Than The Sun?
What Makes Something Flammable?
Is Fire Flammable? Can It Make More Fire?
What Is The Temperature Of Fire? How Hot Does it Get?
FAQs
How hot is fire when the flame is blue? ›
The color blue indicates a temperature even hotter than white. Blue flames usually appear at a temperature between 2,600º F and 3,000º F. Blue flames have more oxygen and get hotter because gases burn hotter than organic materials, such as wood.
What is the hottest fire? ›Acetylene and pure oxygen burns blue, at over 3,400ºC – the hottest temperature readily achievable with fuel and flame.
What color flame is hotter than blue? ›Flame colour meaning can be indicative of temperature, type of fuel or the completeness of combustion. For example, a blue flame is the hottest followed by a yellow flame, then orange and red flames. Hydrocarbon gases burn blue whilst wood, coal or candles burn yellow, orange or red.
What is the hottest color? ›No matter how high a temperature rises, blue-white is the hottest color we are able to perceive.
What is the hottest color of fire? ›The hottest part of the flame is the base, so this typically burns with a different colour to the outer edges or the rest of the flame body. Blue flames are the hottest, followed by white. After that, yellow, orange and red are the common colours you'll see in most fires.
What is blue fire called? ›Blue lava, also known as Api Biru, and simply referred to as blue fire or sulfur fire, is a phenomenon that occurs when sulfur burns. It is an electric-blue flame that has the illusory appearance of lava.
What is a flame class 8? ›Flame: A region of burning gases is called flame.. A substance will burn with a flame, only if some gaseous substance is there to burn.
Is there black fire? ›This is black fire. When you mix a sodium street light or low-pressure sodium lamp with a flame, you'll see a dark flame thanks to the sodium and some excited electrons. “It's strange to think of a flame as dark because as we know flames give out light, but the sodium is absorbing the light from the lamp.
What is flame short answer? ›Answer: Flame is a region where the burning or combustion of gaseous substances take place.
Which part of flame is hottest? ›Blue flame of a candle is the hottest part as it is the outer part of the flame which gets the maximum supply of oxygen and hence complete combustion takes place.
What is the hottest color of a star? ›
Red stars are the coolest. Yellow stars are hotter than red stars. White stars are hotter than red and yellow. Blue stars are the hottest stars of all.
Why is blue flame hotter than yellow flame? ›Combustion is incomplete and less energy is transferred. A blue flame from a Bunsen burner transfers more energy than a yellow Bunsen flame as complete combustion gives a blue flame. Incomplete combustion gives a yellow flame and so less energy is released.
Why is blue hotter than red? ›Blue light is higher energy than red and requires a hotter radiation source, which is why red dwarf stars are much cooler than blue giants.
Which is hotter blue or orange flame? ›Blue Flames Indicate Temperatures of 2,300 to 3,000 Degrees
Blue flames burn hotter than orange flames, with temperatures reaching up to 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Along with the complete burning of carbon, this is why gas-burning fires typically have a blue flame.
Stars are different colors — white, blue, yellow, orange, and red. The color indicates the star's temperature in its photosphere, the layer where the star emits most of its visible light.
Can you see blue fire? ›Blue flame can only be seen in the early morning at Ijen Crater, which is from 01:00 to 02:00, before sunrise. This bright color comes from the high temperature in the crater. The Blue Fire phenomenon in “Kawah Ijen Craters” may have existed hundreds or even thousands of years ago.
Is blue fire hotter than purple fire? ›This energy is then felt in the form of temperature, or heat. Thus the colors of light with the highest frequency will have the hottest temperature. From the visible spectrum, we know violet would glow the hottest, and blue glows less hot.
How hot is white fire? ›Deep red fire is about 600-800° Celsius (1112-1800° Fahrenheit), orange-yellow is around 1100° Celsius (2012° Fahrenheit), and a white flame is hotter still, ranging from 1300-1500 Celsius (2400-2700° Fahrenheit). A blue flame is the hottest one of all, ranging from 1400-1650° Celsius (2600-3000° Fahrenheit).
Why the flame is blue? ›You get a blue gas flame with a hydrocarbon gas when you have enough oxygen for complete combustion. When you do have sufficient oxygen, the gas flame appears blue because complete combustion creates enough energy to excite and ionize the gas molecules in the flame.
What is blue fire made of? ›| Color | Chemical |
|---|---|
| Blue | Copper(I) chloride and butane |
| Violet | 3 parts potassium sulfate, 1 part potassium nitrate (saltpeter) |
| Blue/light violet | Potassium chloride |
| White/Yellow | Nitromethane |
Is blue fire pure? ›
The colour is important: the yellow in a flame comes from radiating soot particles, and shows there's not enough oxygen to burn all of the available fuel. Blue indicates that the fuel is being burned completely, and that means lower carbon emissions.
What is flames in love? ›What is FLAMES? Flames is an acronym which stands out for “Friends Lovers Admirers Marriage Enemies 'Secret Lovers' ”. This game can determine the relationship between two people with the use of their names.
What do you mean by combustion Class 6? ›Combustion Meaning
Combustion refers to the process where a substance burns in the presence of Oxygen, giving off heat and light in the process.
Spontaneous combustion – The type of combustion in which material suddenly bursts into flames, without the application of any apparent cause is called spontaneous combustion. Eg, Burning of phosphorus.
Can a fire be cold? ›A cool flame or invisible flame is a flame having a maximal temperature below about 400 °C (752 °F). It is usually produced in a chemical reaction of a certain fuel-air mixture. In contrast to an ordinary flame, the reaction is not vigorous and releases little heat, light, or carbon dioxide.
What is the coldest fire color? ›The colder part of a diffusion (incomplete combustion) flame will be red, transitioning to orange, yellow, and white as the temperature increases as evidenced by changes in the black-body radiation spectrum. For a given flame's region, the closer to white on this scale, the hotter that section of the flame is.
How hot is purple fire? ›Blue-violet (purple) flames are one of the hottest visible parts of fire at more than 1400°C (2552°F).
How can you control the fire class 8? ›- Removing the fuel.
- Cutting off the air supply (or oxygen supply).
- Cutting off heat or lowering the temperature of the fuel.
Fuel efficiency is the amount of energy produced on burning 1 kg of complete fuel. This is determined by caloric value. This is expressed in kJ/kg. Was this answer helpful?
How does a candle burn class 8? ›Solution : When the candle burns, the wax around the wick melts and vaporises because the molten wax rises upward through the wick. The vapours burn in air and this produces a flame. Thus, the combustible substance and the supporter of combustion both are in gaseous state.
What is flame made of? ›
Most flames are made of hot gas, but some burn so hot they become plasma. The nature of a flame depends on what is being burnt. A candle flame will primarily be a mixture of hot gases (air and vaporised paraffin wax). The oxygen in the air reacts with the paraffin to produce heat, light and carbon dioxide.
Is fire a plasma? ›Fire is a plasma, not a gas or a solid. It's a kind of transient state between being composed of the elements prior to ignition and the spent fumes (Smoke - solid particles and Gasses = Gas molecules.)
Which is the good fuel? ›A fuel is considered good or valuable if it has a low ignition temperature and it produces a large quantity of heat and has high calorific value. Ideal fuels should be easy to store, leave behind no ash after being burnt and burn easily.
What color is night sky? ›The blue sky at night, caused by Rayleigh scattering of moonlight. (ISO 100, f/3.5.
What color is the moon? ›But despite this first-glance appearance, the moon isn't exactly yellow nor bright white. It's more of a dark grey, mixed in with some white, black, and even a bit of orange — and all this is caused by its geology.
Which star is hotter red or blue? ›The surface temperature of a star determines the color of light it emits. Blue stars are hotter than yellow stars, which are hotter than red stars.
Is blue flame hotter than Sun? ›You can get blue stars, but to have a significant blue colour the stars have to be very hot indeed. The surface temperature needs to be in the range 10,000 - 20,000 K or 2 to 4 times hotter than the Sun.
What is the hottest burning gas? ›Acetylene is probably the hottest burning fuel gas available to us.
Is red fire hotter than blue fire? ›Hotter fires burn with more energy which are different colors than cooler fires. Although red usually means hot or danger, in fires it indicates cooler temperatures. While blue represents cooler colors to most, it is the opposite in fires, meaning they are the hottest flames.
Is blue fire hotter than red fire? ›Although red usually means hot or danger, in fires it indicates cooler temperatures. While blue represents cooler colors to most, it is the opposite in fires, meaning they are the hottest flames. When all flame colors combine, the color is white-blue which is the hottest.
How hot is Dabi's fire? ›
The flames of this Quirk are extremely hot, burning at a temperature of at least 2,000°C (3,632°F), which is higher than that of lava and normal fire, signified by its blue coloration. Dabi's flames were hot enough to burn an entire group of villains into ash in mere seconds.
Is Black fire Possible? ›This is black fire. When you mix a sodium street light or low-pressure sodium lamp with a flame, you'll see a dark flame thanks to the sodium and some excited electrons. “It's strange to think of a flame as dark because as we know flames give out light, but the sodium is absorbing the light from the lamp.
What color fire is the coldest? ›The photo of the fireplace fire is a good example of this variation. Near the logs, where most burning is occurring, the fire is white, the hottest color possible for organic material in general, or yellow. Above the yellow region, the color changes to orange, which is cooler, then red, which is cooler still.
Is blue flame hotter than Sun? ›You can get blue stars, but to have a significant blue colour the stars have to be very hot indeed. The surface temperature needs to be in the range 10,000 - 20,000 K or 2 to 4 times hotter than the Sun.
Which part of flame is hottest? ›Blue flame of a candle is the hottest part as it is the outer part of the flame which gets the maximum supply of oxygen and hence complete combustion takes place.
What does blue flame mean? ›The blue flame is a symbol of safety and protection. If you see a blue flame in a candle, it is often interpreted as a good sign. It can mean that your guardian angel is looking over you. Having your guardian angel alongside you is a blessing.
Can Dabi use ice? ›Cold Resistance: Dabi is resistant to extreme cold or ice-based attacks, a trait he inherited from his mother.
Can Dabi melt? ›Todoroki was able to melt metal in the fight with Tetsutetsu, the melting point of low carbon steel is 1410 ° C (2570 ° F) and high carbon steel 1540ºC .
How old is Dabi? ›Dabi is a tall, slender 24-year-old young man with spiky black hair and blue eyes.
Can a fire be cold? ›A cool flame or invisible flame is a flame having a maximal temperature below about 400 °C (752 °F). It is usually produced in a chemical reaction of a certain fuel-air mixture. In contrast to an ordinary flame, the reaction is not vigorous and releases little heat, light, or carbon dioxide.
Can fire have a shadow? ›
Yes, you can form the shadow of a fire, but perhaps not for the reason that you are thinking. A shadow is formed any time part of a light beam is blocked or redirected. The shadow region is the region in the light beam where there is less light than in the rest of the beam.
Can you make purple fire? ›You can get purple flames by combining the blue from an alcohol flame with the red from the strontium flame. There are several metal salts the emit blue, red, or violet light when heated. You combine these salts with a fuel to get the desired purple color.
How hot is a lightning? ›In fact, lightning can heat the air it passes through to 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit (5 times hotter than the surface of the sun). When lightning strikes a tree, the heat vaporizes any water in its path possibly causing the tree to explode or a strip of bark to be blown off.
What is flame made of? ›Most flames are made of hot gas, but some burn so hot they become plasma. The nature of a flame depends on what is being burnt. A candle flame will primarily be a mixture of hot gases (air and vaporised paraffin wax). The oxygen in the air reacts with the paraffin to produce heat, light and carbon dioxide.
What is the coolest colour? ›The range of cool colors is varied – green to yellow and violet. The coolest of all is blue. They are more subdued in their appearance; hence they belong to this family. These shades mostly remind us of nature, water, space, and sky.