# Why does striking a tiny match... **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 28, 2011, 9:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-striking-a-tiny-match/569280 "2011-01-28T09:14:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-striking-a-tiny-match/569280/21 "2011-01-28T22:00:22Z")
I never experienced that lighting a match neutralized or even effectively covered up the smell of farts. Before it just smelled like a fart. Now it smells like burning shit. THANKS DAD! For me it’s the same reason why you don’t spray air freshener in the bathroom after you drop a load. Because as objectionable as rancid shit smells, rancid potpourri shit is WAY WORSE. And it lingers longer. YNMV (your nose may vary), of course. ---
**Author:** ![Myglaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Myglaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myglaren)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-striking-a-tiny-match/569280/22 "2011-01-28T22:45:51Z")
I don’t smoke or fart but matches smell great 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Toxylon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f05b48/32.png) [@Toxylon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toxylon)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2011, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-striking-a-tiny-match/569280/23 "2011-01-29T18:19:43Z")
I was taught at an early age to light a match after a smelly session in the bathroom, so I did. Never did the smell of a burning match hide the stench of shit. After snuffing the flame, I’d have a bathroom that reeked of match smoke _and_ crap. ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2011, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-striking-a-tiny-match/569280/24 "2011-01-29T18:23:27Z")
> [@Toxylon](#): > > I was taught at an early age to light a match after a smelly session in the bathroom, so I did. Never did the smell of a burning match hide the stench of shit. After snuffing the flame, I’d have a bathroom that reeked of match smoke _and_ crap. Exactly this… and shit. ---
**Author:** ![loshan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ce73a5/32.png) [@loshan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/loshan)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2011, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-striking-a-tiny-match/569280/25 "2011-01-29T18:33:24Z")
[quote=“rachelellogram, post:21, topic:569280”] For me it’s the same reason why you don’t spray air freshener in the bathroom after you drop a load. Because as objectionable as rancid shit smells, rancid potpourri shit is WAY WORSE. And it lingers longer.QUOTE] I have often thought this, but could never have put it so eloquently. I scared the dog right out of my lap by bursting out laughing. Bravo! ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2011, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-striking-a-tiny-match/569280/26 "2011-01-30T21:26:56Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > Since we’re not writing for an American scientific journal on this board, and we have an international audience, we’re free to use either spelling based on whim. 1. The question was scientific, emphasized as such by the OP. 2. The accepted international spelling for the element in English is “sulfur.” 3. “Sulphur” is a Britishism. 4. You are of course free to spell things however you like, correctly or not, at your whim. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2011, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-striking-a-tiny-match/569280/27 "2011-01-30T23:39:19Z")
> [@robby](#): > > Just a nitpick for all of the Americans in this thread: The proper spelling for the element (and its ionic form) in question is _sulfur_ and _sulfide_. This is also the accepted international (IUPAC) standard spelling in the sciences. > > _Sulphur_ and _sulphide_ are Britishisms. They are also often seen in American place names and in literature, but are not the accepted spelling in the sciences. > > For you British and Commonwealth folks, carry on. 😉 > [@LSLGuy](#): > > It’s simple distraction. If I whack your hand with a hammer your headache will instantly disappear. Bravo, **LSLGuy**! ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2011, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-striking-a-tiny-match/569280/28 "2011-01-30T23:52:32Z")
Human’s are very sensitive to the smell of sulphur compounds. It can be detected at a very low levels AND the receptors do not get saturated. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-striking-a-tiny-match/569280/29 "2011-01-31T23:40:05Z")
> [@loshan](#): > > I have often thought this, but could never have put it so eloquently. I scared the dog right out of my lap by bursting out laughing. Bravo! heheh, thanks. My mom’s been saying it since I was knee-high to a grasshopper, and I picked up the sentiment from her. We never kept air freshener in our bathroom! ---
**Author:** ![sisu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@sisu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sisu)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-striking-a-tiny-match/569280/30 "2011-01-31T23:46:01Z")
The match head releases a little explosion of carbon. Carbon absorbs the smell. ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-striking-a-tiny-match/569280/31 "2011-02-07T15:51:55Z")
> [@sisu](#): > > The match head releases a little explosion of carbon. Carbon absorbs the smell. I don’t think that this is it. The amount of carbon soot present from lighting a match is minuscule. While carbon (especially activated carbon) has a tremendous amount of surface area per unit volume, I don’t think there is enough to account for the effect under discussion here. Also, carbon doesn’t absorb smells; instead, organic compounds are [adsorbed](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adsorption) onto the surface of the carbon. This should not be confused with absorption. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2011, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-striking-a-tiny-match/569280/32 "2011-02-08T01:10:28Z")
> [@pancakes3](#): > > wouldn’t that spark a trail of flame, engulfing your bathroom? Flammable gasses need to reach a certain concentration before you get impressive flames. Various industries use specially-designed igniters to “burn off” flammable gasses, such as hydrogen, before they can reach dangerous levels. [Here](http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/commission/orders/2002/2002-17cli.html) is an NRC paper detailing the use of such igniters in nuclear power plants. ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2011, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-striking-a-tiny-match/569280/33 "2011-02-10T00:58:32Z")
> [@robby](#): > > Also, carbon doesn’t absorb smells; instead, organic compounds are [adsorbed](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adsorption) onto the surface of the carbon. This should not be confused with absorption. Oh, why not? Given the abyssmal state of scientific education, at least in the home country of the server, should we start with the difference between adsorption and absorption? ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2011, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-striking-a-tiny-match/569280/34 "2011-02-10T14:11:16Z")
> [@j66](#): > > Oh, why not? Because they are two completely different things. > [@j66](#): > > Given the abyssmal state of scientific education, at least in the home country of the server, should we start with the difference between adsorption and absorption? Who said we’re starting with this? After all, we’ve been doing this since 1973. And besides, isn’t fighting ignorance the whole _raison d’être_ of this website? Oh, and the word is “abysmal.” 😉 ---
**Author:** ![sweeteviljesus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@sweeteviljesus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweeteviljesus)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2011, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-striking-a-tiny-match/569280/35 "2011-02-10T14:41:40Z")
For a strike-on-box match, the head is made from potassium chlorate and a binder and the striking surface is made from red phosphorus and a fine abrasive. Where does the sulfur come from? If you mix potassium chlorate and sulfur to make the match head, the compound would be very shock sensitive. In strike-anywhere matches, the tip is phosphorus sesquisulfide, but strike-on-box matches have the same effect vis-a-vis masking odors. Rob [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-striking-a-tiny-match/569280.md?page=1)