Do flames have a shadow? 🔥

Question

Answer

For something to cast a shadow, it has to interfere with the rays of light given off by another object. It can do this by absorbing the light, reflecting the light or refracting the light. In fact a flame does cast a partial shadow because the heat it gives off can alter the density of the air column to significantly refract the light. But the shadow isn't an effect of the incandescent nature of the gas, it is caused by the optical effects of light passing through the different densities of heated air, which more or less conforms to the shape of the flame. 
On any sunny day when you have hot coals in an outdoor grill, you can see the same types of shadows as sunlight passes through the hot air above the grill onto any surface in its path, even though no flames are visible.

Answer

Flames do not have shadows, but they cause shadows. Light a candle and turn on a flashlight. Point it at the candle against a wall and there won't be a shadow of the flame. There's only a shadow of the wick (if it's above the top of the candle like as in going over. So like a new one) and whatever is holding the candle...

Do flames have a shadow? 🔥

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