Jetboot t1_ja6cy10 wrote on February 27, 2023 at 4:13 AM Reply to eli5 why does metal melt and wood burn/char by cheese_grater_man69 Melting temperature and burning temperature are different. Wood actually does have a melting temperature, but it's way past the melting temperature. Similarly, metals generally have a burning temperature that is well past the melting temperature. In the middle are plastics with melting and burning temperatures that are close together. And then there are ceramics. It is technically possible to melt them, but technically they are already burnt... ceramics are weird. Permalink 6
Jetboot t1_ja6cy10 wrote
Reply to eli5 why does metal melt and wood burn/char by cheese_grater_man69
Melting temperature and burning temperature are different. Wood actually does have a melting temperature, but it's way past the melting temperature.
Similarly, metals generally have a burning temperature that is well past the melting temperature.
In the middle are plastics with melting and burning temperatures that are close together.
And then there are ceramics. It is technically possible to melt them, but technically they are already burnt... ceramics are weird.