Brenda Wethy, age 12, of Lansingi Michigan, for her question:
How does a match work.
The secret of a match lies in kindling point the temperature at which this or that substance will burst into flame. And every substance has its own kindling point. For example, paper needs less heat to burst into flame than wood arid wood needs leas heat than coal. But, as the paper burns, it gives off enough heat for the wood to reach its kindling point and catch fire and, as the wood burns, it gives off enough heat for the coal to reach its kindling point and catch fare.
A match works in very much the same way as kindling a fire, but chemicals are used instead of paper, wood and coal, and one of these chemicals has a very low kindling point indeed. Matches, as we know them, have been in every day use for less than 150 years. But the idea of creating a match probably began soon after the element phosphorus was discovered, way back in 1669. This element has a very low kindling point and even glows in ordinary moist air.
Phosphorus was a wonderful toy and the scientists used it to light bite of paper which in turn lit bits of wood. However, in its natural form, phosphorus is a highly dangerous material for making matches for everyday use, Nevertheless the idea was born, but plain phosphorus was discarded in making matches. Instead: other chemicals with low kindling points were used. The first workable matches were being sold in England around 1827. They were sticks of wood dipped in potassium chlorate and antimony sulfide.
These chemicals have kindling points so low that they need only the heat from friction to burst into flame. Friction is rubbing, and if you rub your finger back and forth on a surface for a few moments you will find that this friction has made your skin warm. The chemicals on the head of a match need only this much heat to reach their kindling points.
A few years after the first matches reached the market, phosphorus came back into use only this time it was used in a tamer compound. The modern kitchen match is dipped in a chemical bath which slows down burning after the match head is ignited. The head of the match is made by dapping it into two chemical baths. The first bath leaves the bulky bulb at the head of the match. These chemicals have a low kindling point but they need more than the heat from friction to set them ablaze.
The second chemical bath puts the tip on the match head. Its chemicals have a kindling point so low that they burst into flame with the heat from the friction of rubbing on a rough surface. As the tip burns it raises the temperature to the kindling point of the chemicals in the bulb and the match lights with two little spurts.