Final answer:
You feel heat without getting burned when your finger is next to a candle flame because of heat transfer by convection and infrared radiation, while it's hotter above the candle due to upward heat direction, which can cause burns.
Step-by-step explanation:
When you hold your finger next to a candle flame, you feel the heat without getting burned due to a combination of heat transfer mechanisms including convection, radiation, and conduction, although conduction is negligibly slow in this scenario. The warm air affected by the flame rises because it is hot and less dense, which is a process known as convection. This upward movement of hot air carries thermal energy away, and cooler air takes its place, causing a convective flow. Meanwhile, some thermal energy is emitted in all directions as infrared radiation, which your skin can detect without directly touching the flame. It is much hotter above the candle because the heat is directed upwards due to the rising hot air and the manner in which the flame shape directs the heat, and if you place your hand there, you are more likely to get burned.