Eli5 Given a high temperature, why do some things melts while other burn to ashes?
In: 5
It depends on the material. Melting is when a solid transitions to a liquid state while burning is when a material breaks down into a different state instead.
The reason something might burn rather than melt is they have a lower combustion point compared to a melting point. Ice for example has a low melting point and so melts Instead of burns.
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