Burning Cotton smells like Burning Paper, whereas burning wool smells like burning hair. Why?

Ans. Cotton and paper, both are plant products and they both contain an organic compound named ‘Cellulose’. So while burning cotton and paper, when this cellulose is burnt it gives out a similar characteristic smell. Hence when we burn cotton, it smells just like burning paper.

On the other hand, As we all know, wool is obtained from animal fleece or hair. Animal hair has protein fibre (keratin) which also contains some Sulphur containing amino acids in it. Human hair also is made up of the same fibre protein keratin. Hence on burning, wool smells very similar to that of burnt hair.

Now answer this:

Paheli went to the market to buy sarees for her mother. She took out a thread from the edge of the two sarees shown by the shopkeeper and burnt them. One thread burnt with a smell of burning hair and the other burnt with the smell of burning paper. Which thread is from a pure cotton saree and which one from a pure silk saree?

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