Chemical energy stored in the compounds caked on the head of the match, and later the chemical energy stored in the wood, was released in the form of heat and light when the chemical compounds got hot enough.
Lighting a match transforms chemical energy stored in its compounds into heat and light energy through a combustion reaction. This process illustrates the law of conservation of energy, as energy changes form rather than being created or destroyed. The match continues to burn while there is fuel available, releasing energy until the fuel is depleted.
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