ELI5: Why do some materials burn whilst others melt?
I know it's a simplified version but say we have the 3 states of matter. This given, (that may well be where I get lost) then why would, say, a given metal heated to the appropriate temperature pass from solid to liquid to gas yet if we heat wood it will burn instead?
EDIT: Thanks for everyone's awesome responses. Now I know.
Posted Dec 2, 2012, 4:59 PM UTC · edited
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