eli5 why burnt things turn dark in color.
In: Chemistry
Things that you might see burn are usually carbon based organic items and the dark colour is the carbon left over after these carbon based organic chemicals burn.
A lot of the things you are thinking of, wood, plastics, food, paper, contain a lot of carbon. When these things are heated hot enough, they break down chemically and start to react with oxygen. This process often leaves behind elemental carbon, which is usually black.
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