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Combustion

4CH1-2.11

2 guided lessons · 18 checks · 2. Inorganic Chemistry → Gases in the Atmosphere

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What is combustion?

Combustion is the scientific word for burning, and every combustion reaction involves oxygen reacting with an element or a compound to produce oxides. These reactions always give out heat, which makes them exothermic. They can equally be described as oxidation reactions, since the burning substance gains oxygen.

What you know already

From Composition of Air you already know that oxygen makes up about one-fifth of the air and supports burning. This note names the process properly, shows why every such reaction releases heat, and works through the three combustions you must be able to describe, for magnesium, hydrogen and sulfur, with their observations and symbol equations.

Key points of understanding

Combustion is the scientific word for burning.
Every combustion reaction involves oxygen reacting with an element or compound to produce oxides.
Combustion reactions give out heat, so they are always exothermic.
The same reactions also count as oxidation reactions, since oxygen is gained.
The three combustions of record for this course are magnesium, hydrogen and sulfur in oxygen.

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1.What is combustion?

4CH1-2.11

Key points

Combustion is the scientific word for burning.
Every combustion reaction involves oxygen reacting with an element or compound to produce oxides.
Combustion reactions give out heat, so they are always exothermic.
The same reactions also count as oxidation reactions, since oxygen is gained.
The three combustions of record for this course are magnesium, hydrogen and sulfur in oxygen.

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2.The combustion reactions of Mg, H2 & S

4CH1-2.11

Three element combustions are required knowledge: magnesium, hydrogen and sulfur, each burning in oxygen gas. Magnesium burns with an intense white flame leaving white magnesium oxide powder, hydrogen burns exothermically to give water, and sulfur burns with a blue flame to a colourless, poisonous gas. Each reaction has its own visible signs, paired with a symbol equation you should be able to write.