Which materials are known to produce large amounts of dense black smoke when burned?

The right answer identifies plastics and hydrocarbons as materials known to produce large amounts of dense black smoke when burned. This phenomenon occurs because these materials contain high carbon content and complex chemical structures. When they combust, they can produce incomplete combustion products, including soot and other particulates, contributing to the thick black smoke observed during a fire.

Plastics are synthetic materials that often contain various additives, and many hydrocarbons are derived from fossil fuels or organic compounds. Both types of materials, when ignited, can release significant amounts of smoke, often toxic, depending on the composition of the materials involved in the fire.

In contrast, wood and paper, while they do produce smoke when burned, generally generate less dense black smoke compared to plastics. Metals and glass typically do not burn and therefore do not contribute to smoke production at all. Lastly, while paper and textiles may also produce smoke, they generally burn more cleanly than the synthetic materials represented in the selected answer.