Combustion is an exothermic reaction where a substance reacts with oxygen.

The complete combustion of fuels, such as hydrocarbons, occurs when enough oxygen is present to convert all the fuel into carbon dioxide and water.

Hydrocarbons are compounds containing only hydrogen and carbon atoms.

Incomplete combustion is when a substance reacts only partially with oxygen, such as when carbon burns in air, producing carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and soot (unburnt carbon).

Burning hydrocarbons

Combined science

In the Industrial chemistry unit, pupils will learn about chemical, industrial, environmental and economic factors of some large-scale chemical processes.

In the Carbon Cycle and Climate Change unit, pupils learned about the carbon cycle, the formation of sedimentary rocks, and the impact of burning fossil fuels.

Atmosphere and changing climate

What word is used to describe the chemical combination of a substance with oxygen involving the production of heat and light?

What are possible products for the complete combustion of methane (a hydrocarbon)?

What are possible products for the incomplete combustion of butane (a hydrocarbon)?

The chemical test for which gas is to relight a glowing splint?

True or false? Complete combustion releases larger amounts of energy than incomplete combustion of the same fuel.

Which of the following shows a correctly balanced equation for the complete combustion of propene (C₃H₆)?

When wood burns it reacts with which gas?

When a fuel containing carbon is burnt which gas will be produced?

bubble through limewater and it will turn cloudy

place a glowing splint in the gas and it will relight

white anhydrous copper sulfate crystals will turn blue

What is a chemical test for carbon dioxide? 

Which of the following are examples of fossil fuels?

molecules made of hydrogen and carbon atoms only

the total mass of reactants equals the total mass of products formed 

chemical reactions in which thermal energy is given out

fuels made over millions of years from dead plants and animals

Match the scientific key terms with the correct definition

This lesson will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Burning hydrocarbons

Lesson outcome

This lesson will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.