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Combustion Reactions



Combustion Reactions
By: Areta 
8/2/19


We have heard this term relatively many times, but not in a scientific way. You may have heard combusting. This is an action as you breathe rapidly or the action of when something exploded. But the combustion that will be discussed is the burning reaction people see as an element interacts with oxygen.

What is a combustion reaction:
A combustion reaction happens when a hydrocarbon reacts with oxygen and creates water and carbon dioxide. Combustions reaction only works with elements that a flammable or in better words combustible. We won't be able to combust a banana or a piece of cloth, or magnesium for example. The elements needed need to be an oxidizer enable to form oxidized products.

Combustion reactions are exothermic reactions meaning that they release heat, though some reactions don"t produce heat. In order to know if the reaction is a combustion reaction or not, heat, carbon dioxide, oxygen, and water need to be present. There are some reactions that don't show all their forms, but they still remain combustible.


Examples of combustion reactions and how they balance out each other:


How do we interact with combustion reactions today?

When talking about combustion reactions, we have two categories, complete and incomplete combustion. Complete combustions happen, the reactant only produces carbon dioxide and water. Incomplete reactions happen to carbon monoxide. Examples of each of these are for complete combustion, we use it for candles. As the wax melts it releases carbon dioxide and water. With incomplete combustion, it happens when we burn coal or fossil fuels.

Work Cited:

Helmenstine, Anne Marie. “What Is a Combustion Reaction?” Thoughtco., Dotdash, 28 Dec. 2018, www.thoughtco.com/combustion-reactions-604030.

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