{"schema":"https://ver.cy/schemas/card/1.0.0","id":"vr.tr.wax","code":"thing-q124695","url":"https://ver.cy/models/thing/q124695/","name":"wax","alternateNames":["beeswax","punic wax","sperm oil","epicuticular wax","esparto wax","raw candle wax","paraffin wax","candlewax","vegetable wax","oxidised polyethylene wax","ski wax","grafting wax"],"kind":"thing","status":"published","version":"0.2.0-wave.4","language":"en","classifiers":{"family":"Thing Registry","category":"Physical world and living systems","entryKind":"thing","plane":"PHY","domain":["PHY.MAT"],"industry":[],"navPath":"","tags":[],"facets":{}},"whatItIs":"A class of organic compounds that are typically malleable solids near room temperature and melt to low-viscosity liquids, with some waxes occurring as liquids near room temperature, typically long-chain esters of fatty acids and alcohols in natural waxes, or hydrocarbons in mineral and synthetic waxes, including beeswax from honeybees, plant waxes such as carnauba and esparto wax from esparto grass, epicuticular wax that coats leaves and fruit, paraffin wax from petroleum used as raw candle wax, and Punic wax, a historical preparation of beeswax used in encaustic painting; sperm oil, a liquid wax from sperm whales once used for lamps and lubricants, is linked to commercial whaling, which is subject to the International Whaling Commission moratorium effective from 1986, although objections, reservations and limits on participation mean it is not a universally binding ban. Hot wax causes burns, and candles are a fire risk.","purpose":"Let an agent explain waxes, relay chemistry, natural and synthetic types, uses and history from chemistry, materials and conservation sources, describe the named waxes including whaling context, relay burn and fire safety, and distinguish waxes from fats and oils, resins, earwax as a biological secretion and wax in hair removal as a product.","scope":{"in":[],"out":[],"boundaries":[]},"distinguishingFeatures":["Low melting solids","Water-repellent","Natural and synthetic","Ancient uses"],"structure":{"bundles":[{"id":"understand","name":"Understand","description":"What wax is.","layers":[{"id":"definition","name":"Definition","description":"Definition.","findings":[{"id":"definition-finding","name":"Definition","description":"Definition.","questions":[{"text":"Has someone been burned by hot wax or is there a candle fire, in which case cool burns with water, call emergency services for fires or serious burns?","kind":"boundary"},{"text":"What is wax, and how does it differ from fats, resins, earwax and hair removal products?","kind":"definition"}]}]},{"id":"named","name":"Named waxes","description":"Named waxes.","findings":[{"id":"named-finding","name":"Named waxes","description":"Named waxes.","questions":[{"text":"What are beeswax, Punic wax, sperm oil, epicuticular wax, esparto wax and raw candle wax?","kind":"definition"},{"text":"Which entry fits the specific wax?","kind":"action"}]}]}]},{"id":"chemistry","name":"Chemistry","description":"Chemistry.","layers":[{"id":"esters","name":"Esters","description":"Wax esters.","findings":[{"id":"esters-finding","name":"Esters","description":"Esters.","questions":[{"text":"How do wax esters differ from paraffin hydrocarbons?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which references are standard?","kind":"provenance"}]}]},{"id":"plants","name":"Plants","description":"Plant waxes.","findings":[{"id":"plants-finding","name":"Plants","description":"Plants.","questions":[{"text":"How does epicuticular wax protect leaves and fruit?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which sources are cited?","kind":"provenance"}]}]}]},{"id":"uses","name":"Uses","description":"Uses.","layers":[{"id":"candles","name":"Candles","description":"Candles.","findings":[{"id":"candles-finding","name":"Candles","description":"Candles.","questions":[{"text":"What candle safety advice do fire services give?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which entry fits candle?","kind":"action"}]}]},{"id":"art","name":"Art","description":"Encaustic and conservation.","findings":[{"id":"art-finding","name":"Art","description":"Art.","questions":[{"text":"How was Punic wax used in encaustic painting, as conservators describe?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which entry fits encaustic painting?","kind":"action"}]}]}]},{"id":"context","name":"Context","description":"History.","layers":[{"id":"whaling","name":"Whaling","description":"Sperm oil and whaling.","findings":[{"id":"whaling-finding","name":"Whaling","description":"Whaling.","questions":[{"text":"How did demand for sperm oil drive whaling, and what ended it?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Is the presentation neutral and non-promotional?","kind":"boundary"}]}]},{"id":"beeswax","name":"Beekeeping","description":"Beeswax production.","findings":[{"id":"beeswax-finding","name":"Beekeeping","description":"Beekeeping.","questions":[{"text":"How do bees produce wax and beekeepers harvest it?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which entry fits beekeeping?","kind":"action"}]}]}]}]},"agentConduct":{"may":["Explain the kinds of wax and their uses in candles, coatings, cosmetics and art.","Advise basic safety around hot wax and candles."],"mustNot":["Leave burning candles or heated wax unattended near people or flammable materials.","Use or recommend wax on skin at a temperature that can burn.","Promote products made from whale or other protected animal waxes.","Describe paraffin or other waxes as edible when they are not food-grade."],"requiresHuman":["Using wax in treatments on another person's body."]},"ethics":{"considerations":["Candle fires and wax burns cause real injuries, often to children.","Some waxes come from animals or fossil fuels, raising welfare and environmental questions."],"affectedParties":["Users and households","Bees and protected animals"]},"owners":{"steward":"The person who keeps it; makers answer for product safety.","roles":[],"masterSystems":[]},"relations":[{"target":"Q214609","type":"parent","note":"registry parent class"},{"target":"Q79529","type":"parent","note":"registry parent class"},{"target":"chemical substance","type":"related","note":"in registry terms, and material"},{"target":"beeswax","type":"related"},{"target":"paraffin wax","type":"related"},{"target":"resin","type":"related"}],"interaction":{"identity":{"applicability":"required","items":["Vercy registry: vr.tr.wax","Wikidata: Q124695 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q124695)"]},"properties":{"applicability":"required","items":["beeswax melting point: about 62-64 degrees Celsius","carnauba melting point: about 82-86 degrees Celsius","IWC whaling moratorium: 1986 year"]},"recognition":{"applicability":"required","items":["Malleable lipophilic solid","Beeswax, Punic wax, sperm oil, epicuticular wax, esparto wax, raw candle wax","Fats are triglycerides; resins are plant polymers that harden; earwax is cerumen; hair removal wax is a mixed product","Solid, often translucent or opaque materials that soften with heat, from yellow beeswax to white paraffin."]},"capabilities":{"applicability":"required","items":["explain chemistry and types","relay uses and history","describe named waxes","relay burn and fire safety"]},"hazards":{"applicability":"required","items":["Burns from hot wax","Candle fires","Promoting whale products"]},"interfaces":{"applicability":"required","items":["Candle fire safety standards such as EN 15494","Food additive rules for waxes such as E901 and E903","IWC moratorium on commercial whaling"]},"context":{"applicability":"required","items":["Coatings, candles, polishes, cosmetics and art.","animal waxes","plant waxes","mineral and petroleum waxes","synthetic waxes","liquid waxes such as jojoba and sperm oil"]}},"sources":[{"title":"Wikidata item Q124695: wax","url":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q124695","note":"identity and sense of the item"},{"title":"Wikipedia: Wax","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wax","note":"general description of the item"}],"openQuestions":["Should sperm oil be moved to whaling history entries?","Should epicuticular wax be a separate entry?","How should conservation sources on encaustic be linked?"],"resources":{"spec":"/models/things/publications/thing-q124695/spec.json"},"provenance":{"origin":"thing registry research (pass 2)","builtFrom":["models/things/publications/thing-q124695/spec.json"],"providers":["Claude"],"researchStatus":"unreviewed","generatedAt":"2026-09-13T23:16:03Z","builder":"tools/build_cards.py@1.0.0"},"completeness":{"sections":{"classifiers":"filled","whatItIs":"filled","purpose":"filled","distinguishingFeatures":"filled","structure":"filled","agentConduct":"filled","ethics":"filled","owners":"filled","relations":"filled","interaction.identity":"filled","interaction.properties":"filled","interaction.recognition":"filled","interaction.capabilities":"filled","interaction.hazards":"filled","interaction.interfaces":"filled","interaction.context":"filled","sources":"filled"},"notes":{"_gate":"Published through the thing publication gate 1.0 on 2026-10-07T12:16:28+00:00: completeness 1.00; sense: Wikidata description; 2 live sources; review by codex: pass"},"score":1.0}}