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Trees can explode when struck by lightning. [3] [15] [16] [17] The strong electric current is carried mostly by the water-conducting sapwood below the bark, heating it up and boiling the water. The pressure of the steam can make the trunk burst. [3] [17] This happens especially with trees whose trunks are already dying or rotting.
A large compost pile can spontaneously combust if improperly managed. Spontaneous combustion or spontaneous ignition is a type of combustion which occurs by self-heating (increase in temperature due to exothermic internal reactions), followed by thermal runaway (self heating which rapidly accelerates to high temperatures) and finally, autoignition. [1]
The quantity of vapour produced can be enhanced by increasing the surface area of the material forming a mist or dust. Take wood as an example. Finely divided wood dust can undergo explosive flames and produce a blast wave. A piece of paper (made from wood) catches on fire quite easily. A heavy oak desk is much harder to ignite, even though the ...
Spontaneous human combustion (SHC) is the pseudoscientific [1] concept of the spontaneous combustion of a living (or recently deceased) human body without an apparent external source of ignition on the body. In addition to reported cases, descriptions of the alleged phenomenon appear in literature, and both types have been observed to share ...
For some species of pine, such as Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis), European black pine (Pinus nigra) and lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta), the effects of fire can be antagonistic: if moderate, it helps pine cone bursting, seed dispersion and the cleaning of the underwoods; if intense, it destroys these resinous trees.
The phlogiston theory, a superseded scientific theory, postulated the existence of a fire-like element dubbed phlogiston (/ f l ɒ ˈ dʒ ɪ s t ən, f l oʊ-,-ɒ n /) [1] [2] contained within combustible bodies and released during combustion. The name comes from the Ancient Greek φλογιστόν phlogistón (burning up), from φλόξ ...
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has previously said only 0.01% of Teslas have ever caught fire. That compares with an annual rate of 0.08% for all passenger and heavy-duty vehicles in a given year, according ...
Some, however, can be more than 1 km (0.6 mi) tall, contain wind speeds over 200 km/h (120 mph), and persist for more than 20 minutes. [5] Fire whirls can uproot trees 15 m (49 ft) tall or more. [6] These can also aid the 'spotting' ability of wildfires to propagate and start new fires as they lift burning materials such as tree bark.