Close up photo of a candle wick

A candle wick is a wick specifically adapted for use in a candle. A candle is a Light source and sometimes a Heat source consisting of a solid block of Fuel and an embedded wick. A candle wick works by providing a mechanism, known as capillary action, to transport the fuel, typically melted candle wax, to the flame. Capillary action, capillarity, capillary motion, or wicking is the ability of a substance to draw another substance into it Fuel is any material that is burned or altered in order to obtain energy Wax has traditionally referred to a substance that is secreted by Bees ( Beeswax) and used by them in constructing their When the liquid fuel reaches the flame it then vaporizes and burns. Evaporation is the process by which Molecules in a Liquid state (e

Most candle wicks are impregnated or coated with wax to provide the initial fuel source when the candle is lit. While the wick is consumed in the process of burning a candle the real fuel for the flame is the melted wax. As such all wicks are treated with various flame-resistant solutions in a process known as mordanting. A mordant is a substance used to set Dyes on fabrics by forming an insoluble compound with the dye Without mordanting the wick would be destroyed by the flames and the flow of melted wax to the flame would cease.

Candle wicks are normally made out of braided cotton, and may contain a stiff core. A braid (also called plait) is a complex structure or pattern formed by intertwining three or more strands of flexible material such as textile fibers wire or human hair Cotton is a soft staple Fibre that grows around the seeds of the cotton plant ( Gossypium sp This core was traditionally made of lead, however lead wick cores have been banned in the U.S. for several years by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, due to concerns about lead poisoning. Characteristics Lead has a dull luster and is a dense, Ductile, very soft highly The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (U S CPSC is an independent agency of the U Lead poisoning (also known as saturnism, plumbism, or painter's colic) is a medical condition caused by increased levels of the metal Lead in Zinc is often used as a safer replacement for lead in this application. Zinc (ˈzɪŋk from Zink is a Metallic Chemical element with the symbol Zn and Atomic number 30 Other core stiffeners, such as paper and synthetic fibers, may also be used.

The characteristics of the candle wick has a major effect on how the candle burns. Large diameter wicks typically result in a larger flame, a larger pool of melted wax, and the candle burning faster. Wicks are sometimes braided flat, so that as they burn they also curl back into the flame, thus making them self-consuming. Prior to the introduction of these wicks special scissors called snuffers were used to trim the excess wick without extinguishing the flame. However, the meaning of the word has now shifted to mean "extinguishing a candle's flame," as the process of snuffing a candle (trimming its wick with the scissors) usually extinguished it anyway.

In tealights the wick is tethered to a piece of metal to stop it from floating to the top of the molten wax and burning before the wax does. A tealight, or nightlight, is a Candle used in tea or food warmers or (because they last for many hours as a night light