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Scott 224
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Why doesn't wood melt and ice burn?
Also please let me know if I posted this in the right category (I'm new).Scott 224 said:Why doesn't wood melt and ice burn?
Thanks for the explanation. :)Dale said:I don't know about wood, but ice doesn't burn because it is already burnt. Water is the result of the complete combustion of hydrogen. Once something is completely burned it no longer has any additional energy to release via combustion.
Melting is the disassociation of molecules that are in a crystal lattice. It is a transition from solid to liquid. Wood doesn't HAVE a crystal structure nor does it have a liquid state so the concept of melting doesn't apply to it. If you apply energy to wood, in the form of heat, you can't get "melting" you just get burning.Scott 224 said:Why doesn't wood melt and ice burn?
Thanks for the answerphinds said:Melting is the disassociation of molecules that are in a crystal lattice. It is a transition from solid to liquid. Wood doesn't HAVE a crystal structure nor does it have a liquid state so the concept of melting doesn't apply to it. If you apply energy to wood, in the form of heat, you can't get "melting" you just get burning.
Scott 224 said:Why doesn't wood melt and ice burn?
Melting and burning are two different physical processes that involve changes in the state of matter. Melting is the process of changing a solid into a liquid, while burning is the process of a substance reacting with oxygen to produce heat and light.
Wood is primarily made up of cellulose and lignin, which have high melting points. This means that they require a lot of heat to break down into a liquid state. Additionally, when exposed to high temperatures, wood undergoes a chemical process called pyrolysis, which causes it to break down into smaller molecules instead of melting.
No, ice cannot burn because it is already in its solid state. Burning requires the presence of oxygen, which is not present in solid ice. However, ice can melt when exposed to heat, which can then lead to burning if other flammable materials are present.
The melting and burning points of a substance can be affected by various factors, such as the chemical composition of the substance, pressure, and the presence of impurities. For example, adding impurities to a substance can lower its melting point, while increasing pressure can raise both the melting and burning points.
Melting and burning play important roles in the Earth's cycles, such as the water cycle and the carbon cycle. Melting of ice and snow leads to the formation of rivers and lakes, which are essential for sustaining life on Earth. Burning of fossil fuels and plant matter releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which is then absorbed by plants through photosynthesis, contributing to the carbon cycle.