Britannica
Sources used in this answer
Why can wind cause a lighted match to go out?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
combustion
Learn about the chemistry of lighting a match.
A lighted match stays lit because the chemical reaction of combustion generates more heat than can escape into the surrounding air, which keeps the reactants at a high enough temperature to sustain the flame.
When a wind blows on a lighted match, it causes the match to go out by effectively carrying away that necessary heat. Without sufficient heat to maintain the required temperature for the reaction between the wood and oxygen, the combustion process cannot be sustained and the flame is extinguished.1