This imposes the requirement that the environment must have a temperature HIGHER than the melting point of the material in order for the material to melt.

Considering that this was the crux of my argument against a tire melting a wheel, I am not sure why you seem to think I don't understand this principle.

there must be a temperature difference between the environment and the object in order for heat to flow into the object.

This however is only true for direct heat transfer (conduction/convection). There are other ways to heat up an object, such as by causing the molecules to vibrate via microwaves. The environment can be 0 Kelvin and you can heat up an object by making the molecules vibrate, because when you get down to it, "heat" in an object made up of molecules is just molecular vibrational energy. If you appreciate that principle of "what heat really is," you can appreciate that my argument is completely consistent with what you think I am not understanding.

while aluminum will tend to rapidly assume a uniform temperature. its ability to bleed off into the axle or onto the hard ground is very poor.

Aluminum (like all things made of molecules) will be able to absorb a total amount of energy (usually measured in Joules or BTUs) before it melts. The fact that it has a high conductivity means that it will have a relatively uniform temperature regardless of the source of input, unless that source is very concentrated (like a blow torch, in which case, see my previous explanation that I still don't think you fully appreciated). The tire will give off a certain amount of heat energy as it burns. It will almost certainly have far more heat energy stored in its hydrocarbons than is required to melt the tire (though it will have far from a complete combustion, but still, I have no doubt it is more than sufficient), but it has to get that energy into the wheel somehow. The easiest way is to heat up the local environment sufficient that the environment itself is hotter than the wheel. But except for the small part of the tire that is at the very bottom of the wheel, most of that energy is going to go somewhere else because the local environment is at about 25 C.

The heat energy (Joules e.g.) that does go into the wheel is going to leave the wheel through any contact it has (if those contacts are colder than the wheel) or through the air (if the air is colder than the wheel). WHATEVER the conductivities of the contacts are will help determine the rate of heat flow. In other words, the conductivities only set the rate of the flow, they don't change the principle of a "heat sink". With regards to the iron, it will get hotter and hotter, and because the temperature difference is important for heat transfer rate, the rate of heat flow will slow over time. Before it slows down too much though, it will likely take away quite a bit of the total Joules of energy available because there is a lot of iron, and it transfers relatively quickly in iron.. With regards to the ground however, it won't slow very much because the ground acts as a sink. Instead the heat will continue to flow into the ground at WHATEVER RATE it flows into the ground for the entire time.

Now if there is enough heat energy (lots of fuel) that isn't true, and the local ground will get hot and the transfer rate will slow or stop, but the ground is a really big environment with a reasonably fast heat transfer rate and a huge thermal capacity so the dissipation rate won't change much over the half hour or whatever it takes for a tire to burn.

Regardless, the ground will absorb a certain total amount of Joules over time and the iron will absorb a total amount of Joules over time, as will the wheel itself and the air. The fuel will transfer a certain amount of Joules to the wheel, and if the total sum of all that energy flowing in and out is ever greater than total heat capacity of the wheel, it will melt.

I've melted aluminum a few times in a kiln. I have some idea what it takes. I do not see that happening in the environment that it is in without extra help (open to air, no fire around it, only fuel is a tire and maybe gasoline that is a couple feet away burning in a completely different direction). The lack of previous melting wheels is a testament to my estimation.

This imposes the requirement that the environment must have a temperature HIGHER than the melting point of the material in order for the material to melt.

Considering that this was the crux of my argument against a tire melting a wheel, I am not sure why you seem to think I don't understand this principle.

there must be a temperature difference between the environment and the object in order for heat to flow into the object.

This however is only true for direct heat transfer (conduction/convection). There are other ways to heat up an object, such as by causing the molecules to vibrate via microwaves. The environment can be 0 Kelvin and you can heat up an object by making the molecules vibrate, because when you get down to it, "heat" in an object made up of molecules is just molecular vibrational energy. If you appreciate that principle of "what heat really is," you can appreciate that my argument is completely consistent with what you think I am not understanding.

while aluminum will tend to rapidly assume a uniform temperature. its ability to bleed off into the axle or onto the hard ground is very poor.

Aluminum (like all things made of molecules) will be able to absorb a total amount of energy (usually measured in Joules or BTUs) before it melts. The fact that it has a high conductivity means that it will have a relatively uniform temperature regardless of the source of input, unless that source is very concentrated (like a blow torch, in which case, see my previous explanation that I still don't think you fully appreciated). The tire will give off a certain amount of heat energy as it burns. It will almost certainly have far more heat energy stored in its hydrocarbons than is required to melt the tire (though it will have far from a complete combustion, but still, I have no doubt it is more than sufficient), but it has to get that energy into the wheel somehow. The easiest way is to heat up the local environment sufficient that the environment itself is hotter than the wheel. But except for the small part of the tire that is at the very bottom of the wheel, most of that energy is going to go somewhere else because the local environment is at about 25 C.

The heat energy (Joules e.g.) that does go into the wheel is going to leave the wheel through any contact it has (if those contacts are colder than the wheel) or through the air (if the air is colder than the wheel). WHATEVER the conductivities of the contacts are will help determine the rate of heat flow. In other words, the conductivities only set the rate of the flow, they don't change the principle of a "heat sink". With regards to the iron, it will get hotter and hotter, and because the temperature difference is important for heat transfer rate, the rate of heat flow will slow over time. Before it slows down too much though, it will likely take away quite a bit of the total Joules of energy available because there is a lot of iron, and it transfers relatively quickly in iron.. With regards to the ground however, it won't slow very much because the ground acts as a sink. Instead the heat will continue to flow into the ground at WHATEVER RATE it flows into the ground for the entire time.

Now if there is enough heat energy (lots of fuel) that isn't true, and the local ground will get hot and the transfer rate will slow or stop, but the ground is a really big environment with a reasonably fast heat transfer rate and a huge thermal capacity so the dissipation rate won't change much over the half hour or whatever it takes for a tire to burn.

Regardless, the ground will absorb a certain total amount of Joules over time and the iron will absorb a total amount of Joules over time, as will the wheel itself and the air. The fuel will transfer a certain amount of Joules to the wheel, and if the total sum of all that energy flowing in and out is ever greater than the wheel can handle before it melts, it will melt.

I've melted aluminum a few times in a kiln. I have some idea what it takes. I do not see that happening in the environment that it is in without extra help (open to air, no fire around it, only fuel is a tire and maybe gasoline that is a couple feet away burning in a completely different direction). The lack of previous melting wheels is a testament to my estimation.

This imposes the requirement that the environment must have a temperature HIGHER than the melting point of the material in order for the material to melt.

Considering that this was the crux of my argument against a tire melting a wheel, I am not sure why you seem to think I don't understand this principle.

there must be a temperature difference between the environment and the object in order for heat to flow into the object.

This however is only true for direct heat transfer (conduction/convection). There are other ways to heat up an object, such as by causing the molecules to vibrate via microwaves. The environment can be 0 Kelvin and you can heat up an object by making the molecules vibrate, because when you get down to it, "heat" in an object made up of molecules is just molecular vibrational energy. If you appreciate that principle of "what heat really is," you can appreciate that my argument is completely consistent with what you think I am not understanding.

while aluminum will tend to rapidly assume a uniform temperature. its ability to bleed off into the axle or onto the hard ground is very poor.

Aluminum (like all things made of molecules) will be able to absorb a total amount of energy (usually measured in Joules or BTUs) before it melts. The fact that it has a high conductivity means that it will have a relatively uniform temperature regardless of the source of input, unless that source is very concentrated (like a blow torch, in which case, see my previous explanation that I still don't think you fully appreciated). The tire will give off a certain amount of heat energy as it burns. It will almost certainly have far more heat energy stored in its hydrocarbons than is required to melt the tire (though it will have far from a complete combustion, but still, I have no doubt it is more than sufficient), but it has to get that energy into the tire somehow. The easiest way is to heat up the local environment sufficient that the environment itself is hotter than the wheel. But except for the small part of the tire that is at the very bottom of the wheel, most of that energy is going to go somewhere else because the local environment is at about 25 C.

The heat energy (Joules e.g.) that does go into the wheel is going to leave the wheel through any contact it has (if those contacts are colder than the wheel) or through the air (if the air is colder than the wheel). WHATEVER the conductivities of the contacts are will help determine the rate of heat flow. In other words, the conductivities only set the rate of the flow, they don't change the principle of a "heat sink". With regards to the iron, it will get hotter and hotter, and because the temperature difference is important for heat transfer rate, the rate of heat flow will slow over time. Before it slows down too much though, it will likely take away quite a bit of the total Joules of energy available because there is a lot of iron, and it transfers relatively quickly in iron.. With regards to the ground however, it won't slow very much because the ground acts as a sink. Instead the heat will continue to flow into the ground at WHATEVER RATE it flows into the ground for the entire time.

Now if there is enough heat energy (lots of fuel) that isn't true, and the local ground will get hot and the transfer rate will slow or stop, but the ground is a really big environment with a reasonably fast heat transfer rate and a huge thermal capacity so the dissipation rate won't change much over the half hour or whatever it takes for a tire to burn.

Regardless, the ground will absorb a certain total amount of Joules over time and the iron will absorb a total amount of Joules over time, as will the wheel itself and the air. The fuel will transfer a certain amount of Joules to the wheel, and if the total sum of all that energy flowing in and out is ever greater than the wheel can handle before it melts, it will melt.

I've melted aluminum a few times in a kiln. I have some idea what it takes. I do not see that happening in the environment that it is in without extra help (open to air, no fire around it, only fuel is a tire and maybe gasoline that is a couple feet away burning in a completely different direction). The lack of previous melting wheels is a testament to my estimation.

This imposes the requirement that the environment must have a temperature HIGHER than the melting point of the material in order for the material to melt.

Considering that this was the crux of my argument against a tire melting a wheel, I am not sure why you seem to think I don't understand this principle.

there must be a temperature difference between the environment and the object in order for heat to flow into the object.

This however is only true for direct heat transfer (conduction/convection). There are other ways to heat up an object, such as by causing the molecules to vibrate via microwaves. The environment can be 0 Kelvin and you can heat up an object by making the molecules vibrate, because when you get down to it, "heat" in an object made up of molecules is just molecular vibrational energy. If you appreciate that principle of "what heat really is," you can appreciate that my argument is completely consistent with what you think I am not understanding.

while aluminum will tend to rapidly assume a uniform temperature. its ability to bleed off into the axle or onto the hard ground is very poor.

Aluminum (like all things made of molecules) will be able to absorb a total amount of energy (usually measured in Joules or BTUs) before it melts. The fact that it has a high conductivity means that it will have a relatively uniform temperature regardless of the source of input, unless that source is very concentrated (like a blow torch, in which case, see my previous explanation that I still don't think you fully appreciated). The tire will give off a certain amount of heat energy as it burns. It will almost certainly have far more heat energy stored in its hydrocarbons than is required to melt the tire (though it will have far from a complete combustion, but still, I have no doubt it is more than sufficient), but it has to get that energy into the tire somehow. The easiest way is to heat up the local environment sufficient that the environment itself is hotter than the wheel. But except for the small part of the tire that is at the very bottom of the wheel, most of that energy is going to go somewhere else because the local environment is at about 25 C.

The heat energy (Joules e.g.) that does go into the wheel is going to leave the wheel through any contact it has (if those contacts are colder than the wheel) or through the air (if the air is colder than the wheel). WHATEVER the conductivities of the contacts are will help determine the rate of heat flow. In other words, the conductivities only set the rate of the flow, they don't change the principle of a "heat sink". With regards to the iron, it will get hotter and hotter, and because the temperature difference is important for heat transfer rate, the rate of heat flow will slow over time. Before it slows down too much though, it will likely take away quite a bit of the total Joules of energy available because there is a lot of iron, and it transfers relatively quickly in iron.. With regards to the ground however, it won't slow very much because the ground acts as a sink. Instead the heat will continue to flow into the ground at WHATEVER RATE it flows into the ground for the entire time.

Now if there is enough heat energy (lots of fuel) that isn't true, and the local ground will get hot and the transfer rate will slow or stop, but the ground is a really big environment with a reasonably fast heat transfer rate and a huge thermal capacity so the dissipation rate won't change much over the half hour or whatever it takes for a tire to burn.

Regardless, the ground will absorb a certain total amount of Joules over time and the iron will absorb a total amount of Joules over time, as will the wheel itself and the air. The fuel will transfer a certain amount of Joules to the wheel, and if the total sum of all that energy flowing in and out is ever greater than the wheel can handle before it melts, it will melt.

I've melted aluminum a few times in a kiln. I have some idea what it takes. I do not see that happening in the environment that it is in without extra help. The lack of previous melting wheels is a testament to my estimation.

This imposes the requirement that the environment must have a temperature HIGHER than the melting point of the material in order for the material to melt.

Considering that this was the crux of my argument against a tire melting a wheel, I am not sure why you seem to think I don't understand this principle.

there must be a temperature difference between the environment and the object in order for heat to flow into the object.

This however is only true for direct heat transfer (conduction/convection). There are other ways to heat up an object, such as by causing the molecules to vibrate via microwaves. The environment can be 0 Kelvin and you can heat up an object by making the molecules vibrate, because when you get down to it, "heat" in an object made up of molecules is just molecular vibrational energy. If you appreciate that principle of "what heat really is," you can appreciate that my argument is completely consistent with what you think I am not understanding.

while aluminum will tend to rapidly assume a uniform temperature. its ability to bleed off into the axle or onto the hard ground is very poor.

Aluminum (like all things made of molecules) will be able to absorb a total amount of energy (usually measured in Joules or BTUs) before it melts. The fact that it has a high conductivity means that it will have a relatively uniform temperature regardless of the source of input, unless that source is very concentrated (like a blow torch, in which case, see my previous explanation that I still don't think you fully appreciated). The tire will give off a certain amount of heat energy as it burns. It will almost certainly have far more heat energy stored in its hydrocarbons than is required to melt the tire (though it will have far from a complete combustion, but still, I have no doubt it is more than sufficient), but it has to get that energy into the tire somehow. The easiest way is to heat up the local environment sufficient that the environment itself is hotter than the wheel. But except for the small part of the tire that is at the very bottom of the wheel, most of that energy is going to go somewhere else because the local environment is at about 25 C.

The heat energy (Joules e.g.) that does go into the wheel is going to leave the wheel through any contact it has (if those contacts are colder than the wheel) or through the air (if the air is colder than the wheel). WHATEVER the conductivities of the contacts are will help determine the rate of heat flow. In other words, the conductivities only set the rate of the flow, they don't change the principle of a "heat sink". With regards to the iron, it will get hotter and hotter, and because the temperature difference is important for heat transfer rate, the rate of heat flow will slow over time. Before it slows down too much though, it will likely take away quite a bit of the total Joules of energy available because there is a lot of iron, and it transfers relatively quickly in iron.. With regards to the ground however, it won't slow very much because the ground acts as a sink. Instead the heat will continue to flow into the ground at WHATEVER RATE it flows into the ground for the entire time.

Now if there is enough heat energy (lots of fuel) that isn't true, and the local ground will get hot and the transfer rate will slow or stop, but the ground is a really big environment with a reasonably fast heat transfer rate and a huge thermal capacity so the dissipation rate won't change much over the half hour or whatever it takes for a tire to burn.

This imposes the requirement that the environment must have a temperature HIGHER than the melting point of the material in order for the material to melt.

Considering that this was the crux of my argument against a tire melting a wheel, I am not sure why you seem to think I don't understand this principle.

there must be a temperature difference between the environment and the object in order for heat to flow into the object.

This however is only true for direct heat transfer (conduction/convection). There are other ways to heat up an object, such as by causing the molecules to vibrate via microwaves. The environment can be 0 Kelvin and you can heat up an object by making the molecules vibrate, because when you get down to it, "heat" in an object made up of molecules is just molecular vibrational energy. If you appreciate that principle of "what heat really is," you can appreciate that my argument is completely consistent with what you think I am not understanding.

while aluminum will tend to rapidly assume a uniform temperature. its ability to bleed off into the axle or onto the hard ground is very poor.

Aluminum (like all things made of molecules) will be able to absorb a total amount of energy (usually measured in Joules or BTUs) before it melts. The fact that it has a high conductivity means that it will have a relatively uniform temperature regardless of the source of input, unless that source is very concentrated (like a blow torch, in which case, see my previous explanation that I still don't think you fully appreciated). The tire will give off a certain amount of heat energy as it burns. It will almost certainly have far more heat energy stored in its hydrocarbons than is required to melt the tire (though it will have far from a complete combustion, but still, I have no doubt it is more than sufficient), but it has to get that energy into the tire somehow. The easiest way is to heat up the local environment sufficient that the environment itself is hotter than the wheel. But except for the small part of the tire that is at the very bottom of the wheel, most of that energy is going to go somewhere else because the local environment is at about 25 C.

The heat energy (Joules e.g.) that does go into the wheel is going to leave the wheel through any contact it has (if those contacts are colder than the wheel) or through the air (if the air is colder than the wheel). WHATEVER the conductivities of the contacts are will help determine the rate of heat flow. In other words, the conductivities only set the rate of the flow, they don't change the principle of a "heat sink". With regards to the iron, it will get hotter and hotter, and because the temperature difference is important for heat transfer rate, the rate of heat flow will slow over time. With regards to the ground however, it won't slow very much because the ground acts as a sink. Instead the heat will continue to flow into the ground at WHATEVER RATE it flows into the ground for the entire time.

Now if there is enough heat energy (lots of fuel) that isn't true, and the local ground will get hot and the transfer rate will slow or stop, but the ground is a really big environment with a reasonably fast heat transfer rate and a huge thermal capacity so the dissipation rate won't change much over the half hour or whatever it takes for a tire to burn.