What is another word for the point at which a material begins to burn?

The point at which a material begins to burn is commonly referred to as ignition temperature. This term describes the minimum temperature that must be reached for a substance to ignite and start combustion without an external flame or spark. It is a critical concept in fire science because understanding the ignition temperature helps firefighters and safety professionals assess fire hazards associated with different materials.

Ignition temperature is significant because various substances have different thresholds for combustion, impacting how flammable they are and the conditions that could lead to a fire. Effective fire prevention and mitigation strategies rely on knowledge of these temperatures, which can inform decisions regarding material storage, usage, and safety protocols in fire-prone environments.

While flash point, which refers to the lowest temperature at which a liquid can vaporize to form an ignitable mixture in air, and other terms are related to combustion, they do not specifically describe the temperature at which a material begins to burn independently. Therefore, ignition temperature is the most accurate term to describe this phenomenon.