In addition to the main ingredients; sulfur, potassium chlorate and carbon, ordinary safety matches
contain various dyes, glues etc, giving the head of the match an even texture and appealing color.
Among the common reddish-brown matches there are several types, which after ignition can be
attracted by a strong magnet. Before ignition the match head is generally not attracted by the
magnet. An elemental analysis based on proton-induced x-ray emission was performed to single out
iron as the element responsible for the observed magnetism. 57 Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy was used
for identifying the various types of iron-compounds, present before and after ignition, responsible
for the macroscopic magnetism: Fe 2 O 3 before and Fe 3 O 4 after. The reaction was verified by
mixing the main chemicals in the match-head with Fe 2 O 3 in glue and mounting the mixture on a
match stick. The ash residue after igniting the mixtu…