What is burning? Burning is the mixing of a fuel and oxygen that causes a large amount of heat to be released, often with a flame.

Burning

Wood logs used as fuel to create fire are burned and give off heat.

When something burns, fuel gets very hot and gives off gases. These hot gases then combine with the oxygen from the air to produce a flame. So for something to burn there must be a fuel, oxygen and a source of heat.

You know this because a lump of coal (the fuel) can sit in air forever without burning because it is cold. It only begins to burn when it gets hot. Lots of things can make it hot, such as a lightning flash, a spark from a firelighter, or you can strike a match.

Video: Bonfire.

Explore these further resources...

(These links take you to other parts of our web site, never to outside locations.)

You can search in these books:

You can look in this topic for more books, videos and teacher resources:

Jump to Changing Materials toolkit screen

The toolkit screen link will take you to a library containing a selection of:
an i-topic, more books, pictures, videos and teacher's stuff related to the search word.