combustion of alcohols

• If you burn alkanes with oxygen, what are the products (complete combustion?


  carbon dioxide and water
• What is complete combustion?

  combustion that occurs with plentiful supply of oxygen/air
• What is the colour of the bunsen burner flame during complete combustion?

  blue flame
• What is incomplete combustion and what products are formed in the case of alkanes?

  combustion in a limited supply of oxygen

  products are water, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide
• What is the environmental impact of carbon monoxide?

  it is toxic / poisonous
• What is the environmental impact of soot (carbon)?


  asthma, cancer and global dimming
• What effect can soot cause on the environment?

  Global dimming- reflection of the sun's light
• complete combustion of alcohols:

  • Alcohols react with oxygen in the air when ignited and undergo complete combustion to form carbon dioxide and water
  • alcohol + oxygen → carbon dioxide + water

   
• Why do alcohols make useful fuels?

  they have high enthalpies of combustion

  don't contain sulfur so there is less pollution

  they can be obtained from renewable sources