system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
Why does organic matter burn instead of melting?
gpt
Burning is a chemical reaction where the matter combines with oxygen.
Melting is simply a state change from solid to liquid.

For organic matter, it simply means the energy required for the burning reaction to happen is lower than the energy required for the organic compound to begin melting. So as you add heat, it reaches the burning reaction before it can melt.