Cremation is the process of reducing bodies to basic chemical compound

Chemical compound

A chemical compound is a pure chemical substance consisting of two or more different chemical elements that can be separated into simpler substances by chemical reactions. Chemical compounds have a unique and defined chemical structure; they consist of a fixed ratio of atoms that are held together...

s such as gasses and bone fragments. This is accomplished through high-temperature burning, vaporization and oxidation.
Cremation may serve as a funeral or post-funeral rite that is an alternative to the interment of an intact body in a casket

Coffin

A coffin is a funerary box used in the display and containment of dead people – either for burial or cremation.Contemporary North American English makes a distinction between "coffin", which is generally understood to denote a funerary box having six sides in plan view, and "casket", which...

. Cremated remains, which do not constitute a health risk, may be buried or interred in memorial sites or cemeteries

Cemetery

A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...

, or they may be legally retained by relatives and dispersed in a variety of ways.

In many countries, cremation is usually done in a crematorium, but other countries prefer different methods.