1. C1g Using Carbon Fuels
• Examples of fuels that contain mostly the element carbon include:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
• A fuel is a substance that reacts with ____________ to release ____________
energy (usually heat energy).
• One of the main types of fuels is ______________ fuels.
• The use of these is increasing as the demand for ______________ increases
around the world.
• Explain why the demand for electricity is increasing?
Which fuel for the job?
Different fuels are suitable for different purposes. In choosing a fuel we have to
think about:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Which fuel would you choose for each purpose listed below? Explain your answer using
the properties mentioned above to help. There may be more than one sensible answer.
1. Heating a remote house in Scotland
2. Powering a car
3. Using in a power station to generate electricity

2. Complete and Incomplete Combustion
• The combustion or burning of a fuel requires oxygen.
• The combustion of a fuel releases useful heat energy
Complete combustion Incomplete combustion
Oxygen
Flame
Products
note that CO is toxic
Energy released
Equations for Complete Combustion
1. General equation:
hydrocarbon + oxygen
fuel
2. Word Equation:
methane +
3. Symbol equation:
Higher
CH4 +
More examples
1. propane + oxygen
C3H8 +
2. butane + oxygen carbon + water
dioxide

3. An Experiment to prove that H2O and CO2 are the products of
complete combustion
tap
clamp gently
suction
ice and pump
glass
water
funnel
clamp You must be
able to label
the equipment
limewater and explain
burning what each part
fuel is for.
blue cobalt
wooden block chloride paper
1. Limewater
a) What happens to the limewater?
b) Why do we bubble the products through limewater?
2. Iced water – why do we use it?
3. Cobalt chloride paper
a) What happens to the cobalt chloride paper?
It turns from ___________ to ______________
b) Why do we use the cobalt chloride paper for?
If it turns from blue to pink it proves that ______________ is present

4. 4. A yellow, sooty flame can be seen.
This tells us that there is also some ________________ combustion taking place.
Incomplete combustion produces ________ heat energy than complete combustion.
It also produces ______________________ which is a ___________ gas.
5. List 3 advantages of complete combustion over incomplete combustion?
a)
b)
c)
6. Explain why it is important to service gas appliances regularly
Higher
You must be able to write a balanced symbol equation for incomplete combustion
e.g. methane + oxygen carbon monoxide + carbon + water
(soot)
ethane + oxygen carbon monoxide + carbon + water
butane + oxygen carbon monoxide + carbon + water