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Why doesn't cotton melt?

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Anonymous

16y ago
Updated: 8/17/2019

Cotton doesn't melt because it is biotic, or living, and therefore contains carbon. Instead, cotton burns, which simply means that it combines with oxygen. The oxygen combines with the carbon dioxide if enough heat is applied to start the chemical reaction. What is left is the solid part, or the ashes. Another term for burning is oxidizing, a process that metals like iron undergo. The iron combines with the oxygen, forming ferrous oxide and releasing heat. With the cotton, it releases heat if it reaches a certain temperature, which is represented by the activation energy.

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Wiki User

16y ago

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