Incomplete Combustion
Contents
Key Stage 4
Meaning
Incomplete Combustion is when a fuel burns without sufficient Oxygen to fully oxidise all the atoms within the compound.
About Incomplete Combustion
- Incomplete combustion happens when there is not enough Oxygen.
- Complete Combustion should produce only Water and Carbon Dioxide.
- Incomplete combustion leads to the production of Soot and Carbon Monoxide.
- The following are examples of incomplete combustion reactions:
- Methane + Oxygen → Soot + Water
\(CH_4 + O_2 → C + 2H_2O\)
- Methane + Oxygen → Carbon Monoxide + Water
\(2CH_4 + 3O_2 → 2CO + 4H_2O\)
\(2C_2H_6 + 3O_2 → 4C + 6H_2O\)
- Ethane + Oxygen → Carbon Monoxide + Water
\(2C_2H_6 + 5O_2 → 4CO + 6H_2O\)
- Ethane + Oxygen → Soot + Carbon Monoxide + Water
\(2C_2H_6 + 4O_2 → 2C + 2CO + 6H_2O\)
\(C_2H_4 + O2 → 2C + 2H_2O\)
- Ethene + Oxygen → Carbon Monoxide + Water
\(C_2H_4 + 2O_2 → 2CO + 2H_2O\)
- Ethene + Oxygen → Soot + Carbon Monoxide + Water
\(2C_2H_4 + 3O_2 → 2C + 2CO + 4H_2O\)
\(2CH_3OH + O2 → 2C + 4H_2O\)
- Methanol + Oxygen → Carbon Monoxide + Water
\(CH_3OH + O2 → CO + 2H_2O\)
\(C_2H_5OH + O2 → 2C + 3H_2O\)
- Ethanol + Oxygen → Carbon Monoxide + Water
\(C_2H_5OH + 2O_2 → 2CO + 3H_2O\)
- Ethanol + Oxygen → Soot + Carbon Monoxide + Water
\(2C_2H_5OH + 3O2 → 2C + 2CO + 6H_2O\)
References
AQA
- Combustion; Incomplete, pages 105, GCSE Combined Science Trilogy 2, Hodder, AQA
- Incomplete combustion, page 174, GCSE Chemistry, Hodder, AQA
- Incomplete combustion, page 214, GCSE Combined Science Trilogy; Chemistry, CGP, AQA
- Incomplete combustion, pages 152, 202-203, GCSE Chemistry; Third Edition, Oxford University Press, AQA
- Incomplete combustion, pages 231, 276, GCSE Chemistry, CGP, AQA
Edexcel
- Incomplete combustion, page 157, GCSE Chemistry, Pearson, Edexcel
- Incomplete combustion, page 174, GCSE Chemistry, Pearson, Edexcel
- Incomplete combustion, page 271, GCSE Combined Science, Pearson Edexcel
- Incomplete combustion, page 89, GCSE Chemistry; The Revision Guide, CGP, Edexcel
- Incomplete combustion, pages 259, 260, GCSE Chemistry, CGP, Edexcel