match

Also known as matchstick, sulfur match, sulphur match, safety match, match stick

thumb|Igniting a match on the striking strip of a matchbox

AI overview

A match is a small stick with a chemical coating on its tip that ignites when struck against a rough surface, producing a flame for starting fires. Matches have been an important tool throughout history for reliably creating fire, making them useful for lighting candles, stoves, and other purposes before modern conveniences like lighters and electricity became widespread.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Key facts

UK legislation.short_title: White Phosphorus Matches Prohibition Act 1908
UK legislation.type: Act
UK legislation.parliament: Parliament of the United Kingdom
UK legislation.long_title: An Act to prohibit the Manufacture, Sale, and Importation of Matches made with White Phosphorus, and for other purposes in connection therewith.
UK legislation.year: 1908
UK legislation.citation: 8 Edw. 7. c. 42
UK legislation.territorial_extent: United Kingdom
UK legislation.royal_assent: 21 December 1908
UK legislation.commencement: 1 January 1910
UK legislation.repeal_date: 1 July 1938
UK legislation.repealing_legislation: Factories Act 1937
UK legislation.status: Repealed
UK legislation.original_text: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Edw7/8/42/contents/enacted
UK legislation.use_new_UK LEG: no
UK legislation.collapsed: yes

via Wikipedia infobox

Wikidata facts

Image: Streichholz.jpg

Show 3 more facts

Commons gallery: Match
exact match: wordnet-rdf.princeton.edu/wn31/103696107-n
Commons category: Matches

Sources (3)

via Wikidata · CC0

~23 min read

Article

17 sections

Contents

Etymology
History
Early matches
Chemical matches
Friction matches
Replacement of white phosphorus
Regulation of white phosphorus
{{anchor|The_safety_match}}Safety matches
Modern matches
Storm matches
Hobbyist collection
See also
Notes
References
Bibliography
Further reading
External links

thumb|Igniting a match on the striking strip of a matchbox

A match is a tool for starting a fire. Typically, matches are made of small wooden sticks or stiff paper. One end is coated with a material that can be ignited by friction generated by striking the match against a suitable surface. Wooden matches are packaged in matchboxes, and paper matches are partially cut into rows and stapled into matchbooks. The coated end of a match, known as the match "head", consists of a bead of active ingredients and binder, often colored for easier inspection. There are two main types of matches: safety matches, which can be struck only against a specially prepared surface, and strike-anywhere matches, for which any suitably frictional surface can be used.