What makes a match strike?
Our Early ancestors learned the use of fire before the dawn of history. For untold generations they wrestled with the tiresome task of making a small blaze for themselves. The granddaddy of our chemical matches was born about 200 years ago, and in 1,800 chemical matches could be purchased for four cents a piece. The final bit of energy that triggers a match into a blazing flame is provided by a human being. When you strike a match, the energy from your muscles rubs its sensitive tip against a rough surface. This movement creates friction, and the friction of two substances rubbed together creates a certain amount of heat. You can test this by running your finger briskly on any solid surface. Test the surface after a short while, and you will find that both finger and surface are slightly warm. The chemicals on the sensitive match need only a slight amount of extra warmth in order to burst into flame. The friction provided by your muscles rubbing against the rough side of the match box
