Question

On placing an inverted tumbler over a burning candle, the candle flame extinguishes after a sometime. This is because of:
1. Ignition temperature being low
2. Non-availability of wax in the candle
3. Non-availability of carbon dioxide
4. Non-availability of oxygen

Answer 1

Correct Answer - Option 4 : Non-availability of oxygen

The correct answer is ​Non-availability of oxygen.

• A tumbler contains air.
• We know that air is a mixture of several gases including oxygen.
• Fire needs oxygen to burn.
• If we cut off the supply of oxygen, the fire will be extinguished.
• This is the technology behind fire extinguishers.
• Similarly, when we invert a tumbler over a burning candle, the candle will continue to burn for some time.
• This is because the air inside the tumbler will supply oxygen for the fire to burn.
• When this supply of oxygen is used up, there is no fresh supply of oxygen.
• So the flame will be put off when the oxygen supply is over.