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In medicine, a burn is a type of injury to the skin caused by heat, electricity, chemicals, or radiation (an example of the latter is sunburn).
Immediate first aid for burns consists of immersing the injured area in cool clean water to cool the injured tissues.
There are three degrees of burns.
Burns that injure the tissues underlying the skin, such as the muscles or bones, are sometimes characterized as "fourth-degree burns". Serious burns, especially if they cover large areas of the body, can cause death; any hint of burn injury to the lungs, for example through smoke inhalation, is a medical emergency.
Chemical burns are usually caused by chemical compounds, such as sodium hydroxide ( lye), silver nitrate, and more serious compounds (such as hydrochloric acidProperties General Name Hydrogen chloride Chemical formula H Cl Appearance Colourless liquid Physical Formula weight 36. 5 amu Melting point 203. 15 K (-70 °C) Boiling point 382 K (109 °C) Density 1. 2 ×103 kg/ m3 (liquid) Solubility 70 g in 100g water Th). Note that most chemicals (but not all) that can cause moderate to severe chemical burns are strong acidFor alternative meanings see acid (disambiguation). An acid (represented by the generic formula AH is typically a water-soluble, sour-tasting chemical compound. An acid always has a pH of less than 7. It is a molecule or ion that contains hydrogen or thats or basesA base is a chemical compound that either donates hydroxide ions or absorbs hydrogen ions when dissolved in water. Bases and acids are referred to as opposites because the effect of an acid is to increase the hydronium ion concentration in water, whereas. Nitric acidProperties General Name Nitric acid Chemical formula H NO Appearance Clear or brown liquid Physical Formula weight 63. 0 amu Melting point 231 K (-42 °C) Boiling point 356 K (83 °C) Density 1. 5 ×103 kg/ m3 Solubility miscible Thermochemistry ΔH0 -1 is possibly one of the worst burn-causing chemicals, as an oxidizer. Most chemicals that can cause moderate to severe chemical burns are called caustic.
Electrical burns are generally symptoms of electrocutionThe term electrocution can mean either: death by electric shock, usually by accident or deliberate execution by electric shock, in an electric chair., being struck by lightningFor alternate meanings, see Lightning (disambiguation). Lightning is a powerful natural electrostatic discharge produced during a thunderstorm. Lightning's abrupt electric discharge is accompanied by the emission of light. The electricity passing through, being defibrillated or cardiovertedDefibrillation is a medical technique used to counter the onset of ventricular fibrillation, a common cause of cardiac arrest, and ventricular tachycardia, which sometimes precedes ventricular fibrillation but can be just as dangerous on its own. The equi without conductive gel, etc. Survival of severe burn injuries is markedly improved if the patient is treated in a specialized burn center rather than a hospital.
Scalding is a specific type of burning that is caused by non-solid hot material: liquid and/or steam, usually water and vapour, sometimes oil (especially for cooks). It is usually regional and usually does not cause death. However, deaths have occurred in more unusual circumstances, such as when people have accidentally broken a steam pipe.