[taregg (OP)]

same question.....

[evan_au]

The spectrum of a candle is different from the "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-body_radiation [Links inactive - To make links active and clickable, login or click here to register]" radiation of an incandescent light bulb.

The excited molecules which are formed in the flame of a candle have particular energy levels, which appears as a http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emission_spectrum#Radiation_from_molecules [Links inactive - To make links active and clickable, login or click here to register], in addition to the black-body radiation which comes from the heat of the flame.

[Pmb]

same question.....

Simply put, yes.

The chemical reactions in this reaction release energy in the form of photons which are electromagnetic waves in the light spectrum. Photons are merely particles of those waves/light. But they are still electromagnetic waves.

[Bored chemist]

I just had a look at the spectrum of a candle flame and it's more or less a black-body continuum. The only line I could see was the sodium D line.
Most of the light must be coming from the hot soot in the flame.
A blowtorch flame's spectrum has lines and bands in it.

[distimpson]

yes, what the other folks said. after reading this discussion had to try it too, attached is an image of a propane flame viewed with a diffraction grating. with a match there was a bit brighter area in the orange/yellow region (sodium line as mentioned?) but difficult to make out. I should mention, the black area in the first blue band is an artifact of the camera.

this site had a some info  on propane flame

this site had some info on the chemical bonds involved

interesting stuff.