Is there any way to predict if a substance is flammable or not?

[tsuwal]

You know that some classes of compounds are flammable like alkanes but is there any other based to know based on other physical and chemistry properties? Probabibly the only way is writing the chemical equation of combustion and see if the change of entalpy is high..

 

[Crazymechanic]

Looks like you answered your own question.:)

 

[CWatters]

Flamable is quite a subjective word. I recently saw an interesting demonstration on TV of some people trying to burn newspaper in a low oxygen room. The level was high enough that the people were fine and didn't need oxygen masks - but low enough that they had great difficulty trying to set fire to the paper. The paper didn't appear to be flamable.

 

[Andy Resnick]

Materials have a 'flash point':
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flash_point

and 'autoignition temperature'
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autoignition_temperature

 

[tsuwal]

thanks! you guys are awesome!