Burning Hydrocarbons Flashcards
(4 cards)
1
Q
complete combustion
A
- when you burn a fuel, it releases energy in the form of heat
- burning is also known as a combustion reaction as the substance being burned reacts with oxygen
- hydrocarbons make great fuels because the combustion reactions that happen when you burn them in oxygen give out lots of energy - the reactions are very exothermic
- when you burn hydrocarbons in oxygen, the only products are carbon dioxide and water:
hydrocarbon + oxygen -> carbon dioxide + water
2
Q
incomplete combustion
A
- if there is not enough oxygen for complete combustion, you get incomplete combustion
- as well as carbon dioxide and water, incomplete combustion produces carbon monoxide (CO), a toxic gas, and carbon in the form of soot
3
Q
what are the dangers of carbon monoxide?
A
- carbon monoxide can combine with red blood cells and stop your blood from doing its proper job or carrying oxygen around the body
- a lack of oxygen in the blood supply to the brain can lead to fainting, a coma or even death
4
Q
how is acid rain caused?
A
- a lot of the fractions obtained from crude oil are burnt as fuels
- when they are burnt, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides may be produced
- the sulfur dioxide comes from sulfur impurities in the hydrocarbon fuels
- nitrogen oxides are created when the temperature is high enough for the nitrogen and oxygen in the air to react - this often happens in car engines
- nitrogen oxides include nitrogen monoxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2)
- when sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides mix with water vapour in clouds they form dilute sulfuric acid and nitric acid
- the rain that falls from these clouds is called acid rain
- acid rain causes lakes to become acidic and many plants and animals to die as a result
