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What is combustion?

Combustion is the scientific word for burning.

It is the chemical reaction that takes place when a substance burns and reacts with oxygen to produce heat and light energy.

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Bell jar experiment

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The fire triangle

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Products of combustion

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Word equations for combustion

When substances combust, the new substances formed are called ‘oxides’.

What are the word equations for these combustion reactions?

1. Coal (made from carbon) burns and forms carbon dioxide.

2. Hydrogen burns and forms dihydrogen oxide (i.e water!).

3. Methane burns and forms carbon dioxide and water.

methane oxygen carbon dioxide water+ +

hydrogen oxygen water+

carbon oxygen carbon dioxide+

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Symbol equations for combustion

What are the symbol equations for these combustion reactions?

1. Coal (made from carbon) burns and forms carbon dioxide.

2. Hydrogen burns and forms dihydrogen oxide (i.e water!).

3. Methane burns and forms carbon dioxide and water.

methane oxygen carbon dioxide+ water+CH4 2O2 CO2+ 2H2O+

hydrogen oxygen water+

2H2 O2 2H2O+

carbon oxygen carbon dioxide+

C O2 CO2+