Different solids react to fire in several different ways. Metals and Wood do not burn the same way. When wood burns, it loses mass. This is how ashes are created. Wood contains carbon and hydrogen and when they combine with the oxygen at high temperatures they create carbon dioxide and water vapor. When this mixture leaves the wood as smoke, ashes are what we have left over. The light mass is fragile and black and can be easily disintegrated into nothing. You can see this reaction when people smoke cigars or paper products. The paper is lit on fire which, in turn, burns the tobacco and paper into ash. Other examples of this are campfires and forest fires. When people light a fire in the woods or in their backyard the wood burns and eventually turns to ash. Sometimes, the campfires can cause forest fires which wipe out entire communities. Miles and miles of land can be turned to ash in a matter of hours and there is no way to stop it.

When everyday metals burn, they has a reciprocated reaction in relation to the wood. Metals such as aluminum, copper, and steel combine with oxygen at high temperatures to form oxides that actually stick to the metal. Because of this we can see an increase in mass when burning these metals. Metals do not form ash, they gain mass when burned. This process is similar to the rusting of iron; the metal is bonding with the oxygen, increasing it’s mass. When iron is heated, it causes a incandescent reaction. Iron glows red and orange when initially heated; as the temperature increases it gives off a white light. This is how heat energy is converted to light energy. We see light energy in the light bulbs that people use in their everyday lives.

Sources:

http://askville.amazon.com/burn-wood/AnswerViewer.do?requestId=5378489

http://indianapublicmedia.org/amomentofscience/burned-burnt-paper/

http://www.webexhibits.org/causesofcolor/3.html