Why does candle wax drip?
Show answer & explanation
Answer: Liquid wax flows with gravity
Liquid wax flows with gravity ✓ — Correct! Candle wax is solid at room temperature but melts at 50-70°C from the flame's heat. Liquid wax flows down the candle sides due to gravity. If you hold a candle level and still, less dripping occurs—it's all about gravity pulling melted wax!
Wick pulls wax down — Wrong. The wick draws liquid wax upward into the flame (capillary action), but dripping happens when more wax melts than the wick can absorb—gravity makes excess flow down.
Air pressure melts wax — Wrong. Air pressure doesn't melt wax. Heat from the flame melts it, and gravity causes dripping when liquid wax flows over the candle edge.