Where does this come from, and can I check it?

The flame generates a small voltage that holds the gas valve open. The figure is taken from International Electrotechnical Commission, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.

Is this really a everyday life fact?

Yes. It sits on the Everyday Life shelf, one of 2,600 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.

What else can I read about it?

The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.

Mondo Knows Facts

Gas hobs stay lit thanks to a thermocouple

The flame generates a small voltage that holds the gas valve open A thermocouple is two joined metal wires sitting in the flame, and the heat produces a few tens of millivolts. That tiny current energises a magnet in the safety valve, which keeps the gas flowing. If the flame blows out the junction cools within seconds, the voltage falls and the valve shuts off the supply. It sits in Mondo's everyday life collection, one of 200 facts that each trace back to the reference below.

Where this comes from

International Electrotechnical Commission

Facts that can change over time are reviewed and updated. If something here looks wrong, Mondo would rather know than be confidently incorrect.

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Tags: gas, kitchen, safety

Gas hobs stay lit thanks to a thermocouple: the short answers

Where does this come from, and can I check it?: The flame generates a small voltage that holds the gas valve open. The figure is taken from International Electrotechnical Commission, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.
Is this really a everyday life fact?: Yes. It sits on the Everyday Life shelf, one of 2,600 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.
What else can I read about it?: The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.