Exam tip; You MUST be able to write equations for burning hydrocarbons.

You should be
able to write balanced symbol equations for the combustion of alkanes, given its formula

Prior Learning:
Know what fractional distillation is & how it separates

Keywords:
Carbon monoxide, unburnt hydrocarbons, particles, sulfur
compounds, sulfur dioxide

GCSE Core Chemistry

Exam tip; You MUST be able to write equations for burning hydrocarbons. You should be
able to write balanced symbol equations for the combustion of alkanes, given its formula

Learning Objectives: Identify and explain

The combustion products formed from fuels.
That in a combustion reaction, the amount of oxygen available to react
affects the products produced.
The pollutants produced when we burn fuels.

I will be successful in this lesson if I can:

Write word equations for the complete combustion of
hydrocarbons (Lvl C).
Describe differences between incomplete and complete
combustion (Lvl C).
List pollutants formed when we burn fuels (Lvl C).
Complete balanced symbol equations for the complete and
incomplete combustion of simple alkanes (Lvl A).
Explain how nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide and particulates
are produced during the combustion process (Lvl A).
GCSE Core Chemistry
Exam tip; You MUST be able to write equations for burning hydrocarbons. You should be
able to write balanced symbol equations for the combustion of alkanes, given its formula

1. Hydrocarbons contain
7. Carbon dioxide can be
only hydrogen & carbon
tested with a glowing splint
8. Oxygen can be tested 2. Fuels can only be
with limewater hydrocarbons
3. A fuel is burned to 9. Water can be tested with
release energy blue cobalt chloride paper
10. Sulfur dioxide can 4. beFuel is stored
made by burning light energy
5. Combustion
fossil fuels is a
reduction reaction
6. When hydrocarbons burn in
plenty of oxygen, carbon
dioxide & water is made
GCSE Core Chemistry
Exam tip; You MUST be able to write equations for burning hydrocarbons. You should be
able to write balanced symbol equations for the combustion of alkanes, given its formula

Combustion is the scientific word for burning and is a

type of chemical reaction.

I know
I know
BUT STILL
You should
have learnt
this in Yr 7

Combustion is the reaction when a substance burns and

reacts with oxygen to produce heat and light energy.
GCSE Core Chemistry
Exam tip; You MUST be able to write equations for burning hydrocarbons. You should be
able to write balanced symbol equations for the combustion of alkanes, given its formula

When a substance burns,

it is said to combust.

Combustion is a rapid
reaction between a
substance and oxygen
that releases heat and
light energy.

A fuel is a substance that reacts with oxygen (combusts) to

release useful energy.
Many fractions obtained from crude oil are used as fuels
because they contain hydrocarbons that burn easily and
release a large amount of useful energy.

GCSE Core Chemistry

Exam tip; You MUST be able to write equations for burning hydrocarbons. You should be
able to write balanced symbol equations for the combustion of alkanes, given its formula

GCSE Core Chemistry

Exam tip; You MUST be able to write equations for burning hydrocarbons. You should be
able to write balanced symbol equations for the combustion of alkanes, given its formula

The natural gas, methane, is often burnt for cooking.

What is the
Methane is made up of carbon and hydrogen.
What gas does methane react with
when it burns?

chemical
What substance will the carbon in methane
change into when it burns in oxygen?

equation?
What substance will the hydrogen in methane
change into when it burns in oxygen?

What is the word equation for the combustion of methane?

carbon
methane
CH4 oxygen
2O2 CO2 water
2H2O
dioxide

GCSE Core Chemistry

Exam tip; You MUST be able to write equations for burning hydrocarbons. You should be
able to write balanced symbol equations for the combustion of alkanes, given its formula

Combustion demonstration

How can we demonstrate

combustion & the
products of combustion
with the provided
equipment?

GCSE Core Chemistry

Exam tip; You MUST be able to write equations for burning hydrocarbons. You should be
able to write balanced symbol equations for the combustion of alkanes, given its formula

GCSE Core Chemistry

Exam tip; You MUST be able to write equations for burning hydrocarbons. You should be
able to write balanced symbol equations for the combustion of alkanes, given its formula

Plenty of air is needed to provide enough oxygen for a

hydrocarbon fuel to burn completely.

The blue flame of a gas hob

or a Bunsen burner is an
example of complete
combustion of a hydrocarbon
(in this case, natural gas).

What are the products of the

complete combustion of a hydrocarbon?

carbon
hydrocarbon + oxygen
dioxide
+ water

GCSE Core Chemistry

Exam tip; You MUST be able to write equations for burning hydrocarbons. You should be
able to write balanced symbol equations for the combustion of alkanes, given its formula

If there is a shortage of air (oxygen), incomplete combustion of

hydrocarbons takes place.
Instead of producing just carbon
dioxide and water, incomplete
combustion also produces carbon
monoxide and/or carbon (soot).
These form tiny particle in the air
(particulates). It also releases less
energy than complete
combustion.
Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas because it reduces the
ability of blood to carry oxygen.
Most fuels contain sulfur compounds. When the fuel burns, these
sulfur compounds produce sulfur dioxide.
GCSE Core Chemistry
Exam tip; You MUST be able to write equations for burning hydrocarbons. You should be
able to write balanced symbol equations for the combustion of alkanes, given its formula

With the yellow bunsen flame

the oxygen flow is restricted &
With the blue combustion
incomplete bunsen flame
the oxygen
occurs. flow is in a
Therefore, excess
lower &
complete
temperaturecombustion occurs.
is achieved &
Therefore,
sootcombustion
is producedis most
efficient under these
conditions, producing high
temperatures & only carbon
dioxide & water
GCSE Core Chemistry
Exam tip; You MUST be able to write equations for burning hydrocarbons. You should be
able to write balanced symbol equations for the combustion of alkanes, given its formula

1. What type of chemical is propane?

2. How many carbons in its carbon
chain?
3. What happens when there is
plenty of oxygen?
4. What happens when there is
a shortage of oxygen?

DEMONSTRATION: Burning Propane C1a 3.3

GCSE Core Chemistry

Exam tip; You MUST be able to write equations for burning hydrocarbons. You should be
able to write balanced symbol equations for the combustion of alkanes, given its formula

Propane is a hydrocarbon used in camping gas. What is the

equation for its combustion?

carbon
propane + oxygen
dioxide + water

C3H8 + 5O2 3CO2 + 4H20

How would the equations change if butane was used?

GCSE Core Chemistry

Exam tip; You MUST be able to write equations for burning hydrocarbons. You should be
able to write balanced symbol equations for the combustion of alkanes, given its formula

Complete these word (symbol) equations

1. Wax oxygen
Carbon
water
dioxide

2. Petrol Oxygen carbon Water

dioxide
Carbon
carbon monoxide

3. CH4 2O2 CO2 2H2O

4.
6 CH4 8 8O2 CO2 12 H2O
2 CO 3 C
GCSE Core Chemistry
Exam tip; You MUST be able to write equations for burning hydrocarbons. You should be
able to write balanced symbol equations for the combustion of alkanes, given its formula

In pairs, write a summary sentence about as

many of these words as you can.
You will be asked to read out your sentences &
copy down the correct ones
Combustion
Nitrogen oxide
Sulfur dioxide
Particulates

GCSE Core Chemistry

Exam tip; You MUST be able to write equations for burning hydrocarbons. You should be
able to write balanced symbol equations for the combustion of alkanes, given its formula

GCSE Core Chemistry

Exam tip; You MUST be able to write equations for burning hydrocarbons. You should be
able to write balanced symbol equations for the combustion of alkanes, given its formula

Learning Objectives: Identify and explain

The combustion products formed from fuels.
That in a combustion reaction, the amount of oxygen available to react
affects the products produced.
The pollutants produced when we burn fuels.

I will be successful in this lesson if I can:

Write word equations for the complete combustion of
hydrocarbons (Lvl C).
Describe differences between incomplete and complete
combustion (Lvl C).
List pollutants formed when we burn fuels (Lvl C).
Complete balanced symbol equations for the complete and
incomplete combustion of simple alkanes (Lvl A).
Explain how nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide and particulates
are produced during the combustion process (Lvl A).
GCSE Core Chemistry
Exam tip; You MUST be able to write equations for burning hydrocarbons. You should be
able to write balanced symbol equations for the combustion of alkanes, given its formula

GCSE Core Chemistry