Combustion of Hydrocarbons Alkanes
Combustion is the process of burning some substances at high temperatures. It is an exothermic reaction that happens between fuel and oxygen, producing a gaseous substance (smoke) as a product. Combustion is of two types, one is complete combustion and another is incomplete combustion. Hydrocarbons are compounds made only with the elements of hydrogen and carbon. Hydrocarbons are broadly classified as alkanes, alkenes, and alkynes.
Complete Combustion of Alkanes
It is the process of burning the alkane in the presence of sufficient air or oxygen; it produces carbon dioxide, water, and a huge amount of heat as a product. For example:
With Propane ( C3H8 ), the complete reaction is given as follows:
C3H8 + O2 → 3CO2 + 4H2
With Butane (C4H10), the complete combustion reaction is given as follows:
C4H10 + O2 → 4CO2 + 5H2
The generalised form of this reaction is as follows:
CnH2n+2 + ((3n + 1)/2) O2 → nCO2 + (n+1)H2O
In general, it is used as a fuel since it produces a huge amount of heat.
Incomplete Combustion of Alkanes
It is the process of burning alkane in the absence of sufficient air or oxygen. It produces carbon and carbon monoxide as a product whereas carbon monoxide is a by-product that is a colorless poisonous gas. For example:
With methane (CH4), the incomplete reaction is given as follows:
CH4 + O2 → C + 2H2O
The carbon black which is formed as a product of the combustion process is used in the manufacturing of inks.
Combustion of Hydrocarbons (Alkene)
Complete Combustion of Alkene
Like the same as an alkane, alkene also undergoes complete combustion. It occurs in the presence of excess air or oxygen for combustion. For example:
C2H4 + 3O2 → 2CO2 + 2H2O
Incomplete Combustion of Alkene
It happens in the absence of oxygen during the combustion process and carbon monoxide is formed as a product instead of carbon dioxide. For example:
C2H4 + 2O2 → 2CO + 2H2O
Combustion of Hydrocarbons
It is the process of burning the hydrocarbons which leads to breaking the bonds either in the presence or in the absence of excess oxygen.
(Image to be added soon)
Complete Combustion of Hydrocarbons
It is the process of burning hydrocarbons in excess of oxygen and yields carbon dioxide and water as a product. Oxygen should be present in excess and hydrocarbon is used as a limiting reagent to achieve this process.
Incomplete Combustion of Hydrocarbons
It is a process of burning hydrocarbons in the absence of excess oxygen and produces the most oxidized form of carbon which is carbon dioxide as a product. We should have oxygen as a limiting reagent and hydrocarbons as an excess reagent.
The “sooty” flame is produced by the incomplete combustion of a hydrocarbon, due to the presence of carbon ( C ).
Hydrocarbon Formula of Complete Combustion
The general form of this combustion reaction is as follows:
Methane + oxygen gas → carbon dioxide gas + water vapour
Hydrocarbon Formula of Incomplete Combustion
The general form of this incomplete reaction is given as follows:
methane + oxygen gas → solid carbon + water vapour
Types of Combustion
Different types of combustion are as follows:
Rapid combustion: Rapid combustion is a type of combustion when quick heat energy is needed for the reaction to take place. A large amount of heat and light energy is produced in this type of reaction. The combustion occurs as long as the fuel is available. For example, when we light a candle, it will burn until the wax burns out.
Spontaneous combustion: This type of combustion occurs spontaneously. This means that this type of reaction does not need any external energy for the combustion to begin. It occurs due to self-heating. This type of combustion takes place in substances with low-ignition temperatures. The process starts as soon as the temperature rises above the ignition point. The combustion will take place in the presence of oxygen.
Explosive combustion: This is a type of combustion in which the reaction occurs very rapidly. This combustion occurs when something is ignited to produce heat, light, and sound energy as in firecrackers.
Solved Examples
Ethanol is a fuel source in an alcohol lamp. The formula for ethanol is given by C2H5OH. Write the balanced equation for the process of combustion of ethanol.
Solution:
Step 1: Think of the given problem. The question is given on ethanol which is a reactant and also with oxygen. Carbon dioxide and water are the products.
Step 2: Write the skeleton equation and solve:
C2H5OH (l) + O2 (g) → CO2 (g) + H2O (g)
Now balance the equation.
C2H5OH (l) + 3O2 (g) → 2CO2 (g) + 3H2O (g)
Evaluate the number of each element present on the reactant and product side.
Interesting Facts:
Nearly 21% of the air in the atmosphere is filled with oxygen. To get complete combustion, it is necessary to have plenty of air, mainly oxygen in it. Natural gas and petrol are such fuels that have hydrocarbons.
A hydrocarbon is a compound made of only 2 elements namely carbon and hydrogen atoms.
The interesting thing is, that it is found in crude oil and can be separated by fractional distillation. The bond between them is non-polar covalent bonds.
Summary
Combustion includes the burning of organic substances and it is a chemical reaction.
Combustion includes burning of the organic compound and releasing carbon dioxide and water and releasing a lot of heat energy.
Combustion is an important process and hydrocarbons are the main source of energy for domestic and industrial processes.
Combustion of fossil fuels such as natural gas is an example of such a chemical reaction.
FAQs on Combustion of Hydrocarbons
1. What are the products of combustion of the hydrocarbon?
In the presence of an excess of air, complete combustion of a hydrocarbon produces carbon dioxide and water as products
In order to achieve the complete combustion of hydrocarbon, oxygen should be in excess and hydrocarbon is treated as limiting reagents.
For example:
C3H8 + O2 → 3CO2 + 4H2
The above equation shows us, that an excess of oxygen, carbon dioxide is formed as a product.
While in case of incomplete combustion, it produces carbon monoxide, water, and carbon as a product.
In order to achieve this reaction, oxygen is used as limiting reagents, and hydrocarbon is used in excess.
For example:
CH2 + 2O2 → 2CO + 2H2O
The above equation shows us, that in the absence of oxygen or insufficient of oxygen, it forms carbon monoxide as a product.
2. What are the Broad Classifications of the Hydrocarbon?
The hydrocarbon is broadly classified as Alkanes, alkenes, and alkynes. Let's see in brief about the classifications.
Alkanes are saturated hydrocarbons means, they formed by a single bond in between the carbon atoms. The general representation of alkane is CnH2n+2 in case of non-cyclic structures. There are four bonds for each carbon atom in alkane, C- H or C- C bond are possible one. Alkane type is not very reactive due to the stability of the carbon bond.
Alkenes are unsaturated hydrocarbons means, they are formed by one or more double bonds in between the carbon atoms. The general representation of alkene is CnH2n. Alkenes are more reactive when compared with alkanes, this is due to the presence of pi bond ruptures in it.
Alkynes are also unsaturated hydrocarbon carbons like same as alkenes. Alkynes are made by one or more triple bonds in between the carbon atoms. The general representation of alkyne is CnH2n-2. Alkynes are considered as more reactive than the alkenes and alkanes. They are highly reactive due to the availability of triple bonds and able to undergo addition reactions more readily.
3. What environmental problems are associated with the burning of hydrocarbons?
Hydrocarbons are used as fuels and they are known as fossil fuels. The common fossil fuels used include coal, natural gas, and petroleum products. If hydrocarbons burn efficiently, they produce carbon dioxide and water. But they cause environmental pollution. When carbon dioxide is released in high quantities, it pollutes the environment.
