Final answer:
The statement is false; a char layer on logs acts as an insulator, reducing the rate of burning rather than providing more access for fire to burn the inner wood.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that when larger members, such as logs, burn, the burnt layer or char that forms on their exposed faces provides more access for another fire to take hold and burn the inner portions is false. In fact, the char layer acts as an insulating barrier, protecting the unburned wood beneath from the heat of the fire and slowing down the combustion process. Larger pieces of wood like logs have a lower surface area to volume ratio compared to smaller pieces like twigs or kindling, which means they burn slower because there is less wood surface available to react with oxygen.
When considering how surface area affects a reaction, it's important to understand that increasing the surface area of a solid reactant, like wood, accelerates the reaction rate. For combustion, this means smaller pieces with higher surface area burn faster and more easily than larger pieces with less surface area. In the context of wildfires or controlled fires, managing the size and distribution of fuel is critical for controlling the rate and intensity of the fire.