At what temperature do common woods burn? And how hot does a magnifying glass burn things at?

Question

I want to know for an odd reason, I'm using a magnifying glass to burn a pencil and I got the idea to boil water, but I don't know if the glass will produce enough heat. Does wood burn at a higher temp than water boils

Answer 1

Most woods will ignite at 451°F. Once burning the flame temperature is above 1,200°F. Your magnifying glass by itself is capable of boiling only very, very small quantities of water unless you have a great deal of insulation and a great deal of time.