why do we say that acid burns? Is it actually the same chemical process as burning?
In: Chemistry
It’s somewhat similar.
Burning by heat is the denaturation of the proteins and oxidation of fats and other components of tissue + the evaporation of water all due to heat.
In a chemical burn, either via acids or alkalis, there is the same denaturation of proteins and some of the other could happen to, not the water evaporation directly (but yes in the long run as the layers that makes you “water tight” are destroyed) so, the end product is similar but the process is very different.
Cold burns are also very different and don’t happen with the same denaturation mechanisms, but with the formation of ice crystals in the cells (+ even in-situ evaporation of water due to freeze drying, like with liquid nitrogen)
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