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Combustion

Key Stage 2

Meaning

Burning is a chemical reaction that happens when something catches fire.

About Burning

Materials can only burn if there is enough air.
Substances cannot burn underwater or in empty space.
Anything that burns is called a fuel.

Examples

SolidBurning.png
LiquidBurning.png
GasBurning.png
A solid fuel burning. A liquid fuel burning. A gas fuel burning.


Note to Teachers

Students often don't recognise the difference between heating and burning. When asked what happens to a substance when it is heated they will say 'burn' when melting would be a more appropriate response. Students also do not always recognise the necessity of oxygen (or at least air) when things burn.

Key Stage 3

Meaning

Combustion is an exothermic reaction and a type of Oxidation reaction that happens when a fuel burns in the presence of oxygen releasing thermal energy and light.

About Combustion

Combustion always happens at high temperatures and gives off light.
Combustion may involve Hydrocarbons. This has the general equation: Fuel + Oxygen → Carbon Dioxide + Water
Combustion may involve Metals. This has the general equation: Metal + Oxygen → Metal Oxide

Examples

Fuel + Oxygen → Carbon Dioxide + Water

Methane + Oxygen → Carbon Dioxide + Water
Ethane + Oxygen → Carbon Dioxide + Water
Propane + Oxygen → Carbon Dioxide + Water

Metal + Oxygen → Metal Oxide

Magnesium + Oxygen → Magnesium Oxide
Aluminium + Oxygen → Aluminium Oxide
Iron + Oxygen → Iron Oxide
BunsenBurner.png
MagnesiumRibbon.png
Methane + Oxygen → Carbon Dioxide + Water Magnesium + Oxygen → Magnesium Oxide

References

AQA

Combustion, page 344, GCSE Biology; Student Book, Collins, AQA
Combustion, pages 152-153, 158, 162-163, 202-203, GCSE Chemistry; Third Edition, Oxford University Press, AQA
Combustion, pages 280-281, 290-291, GCSE Biology; Third Edition, Oxford University Press, AQA
Combustion, pages 96, GCSE Combined Science Trilogy 2, Hodder, AQA

Edexcel

Combustion, page 147, GCSE Chemistry, CGP, Edexcel
Combustion, pages 138, 139, GCSE Combined Science; The Revision Guide, CGP, Edexcel
Combustion, pages 156-157, 174, GCSE Chemistry, Pearson, Edexcel
Combustion, pages 270-271, GCSE Combined Science, Pearson Edexcel
Combustion, pages 88, 89, 98, GCSE Chemistry; The Revision Guide, CGP, Edexcel
Combustion; of alcohols, page 104, GCSE Chemistry; The Revision Guide, CGP, Edexcel
Combustion; of alcohols, pages 303, 304, GCSE Chemistry, CGP, Edexcel
Combustion; of hydrocarbons, pages 257, 259, 260, 286, 287, GCSE Chemistry, CGP, Edexcel
Combustion; of hydrocarbons, pages 88, 98, GCSE Chemistry; The Revision Guide, CGP, Edexcel
Combustion; of polymers, page 101, GCSE Chemistry; The Revision Guide, CGP, Edexcel
Combustion; of polymers, page 294, GCSE Chemistry, CGP, Edexcel

OCR

Combustion, pages 90 102, 147, 231, 235, 254-255, Gateway GCSE Chemistry, Oxford, OCR