For a fiery chemical reaction
Need Oxygen, need wood.
Surely there’s more
to being on fire
Otherwise all the trees should?
Need heat, need energy.
Match or friction
Something aflame.
Fuel decomposed,
Off the gas goes.
That makes me wonder again…
All those chemicals reacting,
Out comes the heat
And the heat emits light
As the molecules excite
Incandescence is the word,
It seems pretty neat.
Ash left behind
The bits that don’t burn.
Carbon stays too
Slow and smokeless
I’ve learned.
The fire keeps on burning
Until no fuel left to go.
Gravity plays a part
In this glowing light show,
Heat rises, gas rises
That flame shape I see,
Particles of soot and smoke
Glowing red hot
Warming you.
Warming me.
And my cup of tea.
References
Harris, T. (No Date) How Fire Works
Jensen, S. (2013) Is fire a solid, a liquid, or a gas?
Minutephysics. (2011) What is fire?
Love it! A science poem how cool- I might have to use this in my science lessons!
Thanks! Or maybe you could get your students to write a science poem!?… it really makes you think when you translate scientific understanding into a poem!