system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: What is fire? Like, I know when you burn something, it makes fire, but what is the fire?
gpt
By "fire" i'll simply assume you mean the flame. Otherwise i'd have to go various other chemical and physical mechanics aside of oxidization, which would blow a five year old's mind (not sure if oxidization is not already stretching the limit).


Simplified, the flame is the burning mechanism. It's the reason and not the result for/of burning things.


A flame is the burning material in its vaporized form, in which it reacts with various chemicals called oxidizers in the air, like oxygen for example (which also gives it its name). This reaction called oxidization is usually a very hot process. The heat of this reaction will result in more of the burning material being vaporized and repeat.


The color of the flame is dependent on the temperature and material being burnt.