Combustion

• Combustion


  A substance reacts with oxygen releasing energy
• Complete combustion of a hydrocarbon

  • Takes place when there is a good supply of oxygen gas present
• Incomplete combustion of a hydrocarbon

  • Takes place when there is a limited supply of oxygen gas present
• Products of combustion of a hydrocarbon

  • Water
  • Carbon dioxide
• Burning hydrocarbon experiment


  1. Water turns milky in the U-tube

  2. Cobalt chloride paper changes from blue to pink in the presence of water

  3. Limewater turns cloudy in the presence of carbon dioxide
• Hydrocarbons burn (react with oxygen) to produce water and carbon dioxide
• In the experiment, a plentiful supply of oxygen reacts with the hydrocarbon to produce water and carbon dioxide
• In the U-tube, the water condenses with the help of the ice cold water
• When identifying a combustion reaction, you must look for oxygen as a reactant, and the presence of ions indicates it is not a combustion reaction