how is it that different substances can burn at different temperatures despite all being able to be ignited by the same temp match?
In: Chemistry
You can think ignition like giving a ball a gentle push so that it starts rolling down a hill and releasing the energy it had but couldn’t release without the push. The ignition only starts the process. Match has more than enough “push” to ignite many familiar substances.
The temperature of the flame just depends on the amount of energy released, how much stuff that amount of energy heats and properties of the stuff. Different substances release different amounts of heat when burned, require different amounts of oxygen (so some flames have more air compared to fuel and some less) and can store more heat per unit of temperature. All these things relate to the various different chemical bonds between the atoms you burn. Some bonds are stronger and some weaker.
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