can a candle burn in zero gravity?
-
True
-
False
Reveal answer
Fill a bubble to check yourself
A
Correct answer
Explanation
Candles CAN burn in zero gravity. In microgravity (like the International Space Station), candle flames become spherical instead of teardrop-shaped due to the absence of convection currents. The flame is blue and burns more slowly but does burn.
AI explanation
Yes — a candle can burn in zero gravity (microgravity), as demonstrated in experiments aboard the ISS and Space Shuttle. Without gravity there's no buoyancy-driven convection, so the flame doesn't rise in the usual teardrop shape; instead it forms a small, dim, spherical blue flame sustained purely by diffusion of oxygen to the flame front. It burns cooler and can even self-extinguish from CO2 buildup around it, but it does burn.