Which of the following best describes ablative materials?

Ablative materials are designed to protect surfaces from extreme heat and fire by undergoing a process of erosion. As these materials are exposed to heat, they gradually break down or erode at a predictable rate, thereby removing the heat energy from the underlying material that they are intended to protect. This controlled erosion is crucial in many firestop applications, as it helps to ensure that the firestop function remains effective for a specified duration by creating an insulating barrier.

Other materials do not share this characteristic of controlled erosion. For instance, while some materials may reflect heat or absorb water for cooling, they don't have the same predictable erosion properties that define ablative materials. Remaining solid under heat, while a property of some materials, does not relate to the specific behavior of ablative materials in fire protection scenarios.