How is cremation defined?

Cremation is defined as the process of reducing a deceased body to ashes through intense heat. This process involves the application of high temperatures, typically in a cremation chamber, which incinerates the organic components of the body and leaves behind bone fragments, which are then processed into ash. This definition is crucial in understanding the cremation process, distinguishing it from other methods of handling remains, such as burial or memorial services.

The other options present different aspects of end-of-life practices. For instance, memorializing the deceased refers to holding a service or ceremony to honor and remember the individual, while formal burial specifically pertains to interring the body in the ground, which is a completely different physical process from cremation. Holding a vigil, on the other hand, focuses on the time spent with the deceased's body prior to the final disposition and doesn’t involve any alteration to the body itself. Each of these choices reflects different traditions in dealing with death, but they do not capture the essence of what cremation specifically entails.