Why does a perfume bottle burst when placed inside the flame?

Perfume Bottles and Flame

Perfume bottles bursting into flame when placed in fire may seem like a mysterious occurrence, but in reality, it has a scientific explanation.

Perfumes typically contain ethyl alcohol, also known as ethanol, as one of the key ingredients. Ethyl alcohol is highly inflammable, meaning it can easily catch fire and burn. When a perfume bottle is placed inside a flame, the heat from the flame can raise the temperature of the ethyl alcohol in the perfume to its flash point. The flash point is the temperature at which the alcohol vaporizes and forms a flammable mixture with air.

Once the ethyl alcohol reaches its flash point, combustion occurs inside the bottle. Combustion is a chemical process that involves the rapid combination of a fuel (in this case, ethyl alcohol) with oxygen to produce heat and light. The combustion of the ethyl alcohol generates pressure inside the bottle, causing it to burst or explode.

This phenomenon is a result of the flammable nature of ethyl alcohol and its ability to undergo combustion when exposed to high temperatures. It serves as a reminder of the importance of handling flammable substances with caution and following proper safety precautions to prevent accidents.