Phlogiston Theory

The Phlogiston Theory was an early scientific idea that explained combustion by proposing that all burning materials contained a substance called "phlogiston," which was released when they burned. According to this theory, objects lose phlogiston when they combust, transforming into ashes or ash-like residues. The theory suggested that flameless oxidation and burning involved the release of this invisible material. While it helped explain some aspects of combustion at the time, it was eventually replaced by the modern understanding of chemical reactions involving oxygen, which more accurately describes how burning and rusting occur.