Question

Why do you have to use paper or kerosene oil to start fire in wood or coal ?

Answer 1

Coal has a high ignition temperature,so a coal fire cannot be started by using a lighted matchstick
directly.This is because the small heat produced by burning matchstick is not sufficient to heat the
coal to its ignition temperature.A piece of cloth is dipped in kerosene oil and some pieces of cloth is
ignited by a lighted matchstick,it starts burning.The heat produced by the burning of kerosene soaked
cloth makes the pieces of wood to burn.the coal pieces are then placed over the burning wood
pieces.The large heat produced by the burning wood pieces heats the coal to its ignition temperature
due to which the coal also starts burning.