The fuel mass at the front end of the matchstick contains flammable substances such as potassium chlorate. Once wet, potassium chlorate will dissolve and fail. At the same time, when the match is wet, the burning ball will become soft and can't form strong friction with the medicine paper on the matchbox, so it can't spark, so it can't catch fire.

In primitive times, when people needed to make a fire, they had to drill wood to make a fire or beat stones and iron pieces to produce sparks. This method is clumsy and time-consuming.

In 577 AD, the war was raging, and the Northern Qi Dynasty was under attack between Scylla and Charybdis, and the materials were extremely scarce. Because of the lack of kindling, the soldiers' cooking became a problem. What should I do? At that time, a group of maids magically invented matches. However, this kind of match was only a kindling material in ancient China, not a real match. It was not until the19th century that the tinderbox was invented in Europe. The box contained asbestos soaked in sulfuric acid, and then a piece of wood was stained with sulfur, potassium chlorate and sugar. When wood comes into contact with sulfur, it will have a chemical reaction and produce sparks.

But this collocation is still not perfect. It was not until 1826 that British pharmacist Walker made the world's first friction match. To commemorate Walker's outstanding contribution to the invention of matches, the first spark in the world (that is, the trademark of matches) is "John? Walker "brand, with sparks printed on his head. 1833 The world's first match factory was born in Sweden.

Andersen's Little Match Girl, a well-known fairy tale, was written in 1848. At that time, the invention of friction matches was only twenty years' effort.

However, matches produced in the early days are prone to spontaneous combustion, which is very dangerous; Moreover, the raw material yellow phosphorus is toxic, and the workers who make matches will be poisoned if they are not careful. 1852, the Swedes invented safety matches, and matches began to enter the lives of ordinary people. Although so simple, it has become an indispensable tool for making a fire.

Until modern times, after the emergence of lighters and electronic lighters, matches gradually withdrew from the main ignition tool market, but matches continued to play a role, and the flame color it produced became the most beautiful flame in the world, which was unforgettable.