Hydrocarbon Combustion

Study Notes

A hydrocarbon is a compound made up of only carbon and hydrogen atoms.
Many fuels are primarily composed of hydrocarbons.
Hydrocarbon combustion reaction: hydrocarbon + oxygen → water + carbon dioxide
Combustion is also an oxidation reaction, as it involves the reaction of a substance with oxygen.

The law of conservation of mass states that the mass of reactants is equal to the mass of products in a chemical reaction.
Metals can appear to gain mass when heated in air, but this is due to the mass of oxygen that reacts with the metal.
When a hydrocarbon fuel combusts, it appears to lose mass because the products of the reaction (carbon dioxide, water vapor) are lost into the air.

The fire triangle consists of three essential factors for a fire to burn: fuel, oxygen, and heat.
Removing any one of these factors can extinguish a fire.
Different types of fire extinguishers work in various ways, including:
- Water extinguishers: remove heat
- Powder and carbon dioxide extinguishers: exclude oxygen
- Foam extinguishers: remove heat and exclude oxygen

Hazard symbols are used to indicate the potential dangers of a substance and the necessary precautions for handling it.
Burning fossil fuels can lead to air pollution, which can harm habitats and organisms.
Incomplete combustion of fossil fuels can produce pollutants such as carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides.

Acid rain is formed when sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides in the air react with water.
The greenhouse effect is the warming of the Earth's surface due to greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
Global warming is the predicted result of an increase in the Earth's temperature due to the increased levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, leading to climate change.

Law of conservation of mass: the idea that mass is not lost or gained during a chemical reaction.
Metal: an element that is shiny when polished, conducts heat and electricity well, is malleable and flexible, and often has a high melting point.
Metal oxide: a metal that has combined with oxygen in a chemical reaction.
Non-metal: an element that is not shiny and does not conduct heat and electricity well.
Oxidation: reacting with oxygen.
Oxide: a compound that contains oxygen, often formed through the reaction of a metal with oxygen.