When burned, what other materials form the same products made when paper burns?

When paper burns, a combustion reaction occurs. The general chemical formula for a combustion reaction is as follows:

Hydrocarbon + oxygen  `->` carbon dioxide + water

Paper is made from the wood of a tree. Cellulose is a major component of wood. Cellulose is a carbohydrate that contains many hydrogen and carbon atoms. Although cellulose has other functional groups, its basic structure is an example of a hydrocarbon.  Hydrocarbons are simply compounds that are composed of hydrogen and carbon (“hydro” = hydrogen, “carbons” = the element carbon).

Thus, the combustion of other hydrocarbons would result in the same products as the burning of paper. Hydrocarbons can form straight chains, rings, or branches. Here are a few examples of hydrocarbons. Hydrocarbons can contain various amounts of carbon and hydrogens. The larger a hydrocarbon, the more carbon dioxide and water are produced during a combustion reaction.