Key Difference: Smoke is the gaseous form of fine solid and liquid particles. It comes by burning some organic material like wood, petrol, etc. Fume is a smoke-like vaporous emission of substances. Fume is distinguished by its odorous and harmful nature.

Many people are confused between smoke and fume because of their similarities. Smoke is a gaseous state of tiny particles of solid and liquids. It is the by-product of a substance after combustion. Combustion is the process of burning a substance. Generally, smoke is visible to the naked eye but many times it is not. An example of it is when an iron is used over clothes for ironing; the smoke is invisible to us. Whereas, when the iron is kept on the cloth for long time, the smoke of the burnt cloth can be seen.

Smoke often is very harmful to health as it contains a lot of harmful gases that can harm humans and nature in many ways. The most poisonous gas that smoke contains is carbon monoxide. Hence, smoke is harmful when inhaled for a long period of time. Usually, the color of smoke is pale, grey, bluish and/or bluish-grey.

Smoking of tobacco and cigarettes is dangerous as it burns nicotine and the by-product gets accumulated in our lungs. Many lives have been cost because of smoking cigarettes. It causes lung diseases, heart diseases and also cancer. Smoke has advantages too; it is used by the Defense Forces to block the vision of the enemy by using Smoke Bombs. It is also used as a flavoring agent in many food products. The most common use of it is for Pest Control. Smoke is useful in many ways but ultimately it is harmful to nature and human beings.

According to Dictionary.com, Fume is “any smoke-like or vaporous exhalation from matter or substances, especially of an odorous or harmful nature: tobacco fumes; noxious fumes of carbon monoxide.”

Fume is visible to the naked eyes. However, sometimes fumes are colorless. It can be of any color and odor. Fume is harmful in nature as it contains poisonous gases in it. Fumes are emitted from industries, laboratories, chemicals, vehicles, etc. Unlike smoke, fume doesn’t generate only from combustion of something. It can generate by reaction of substances. Fumes are always harmful and do not cause any advantage.

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