Science, Tech, Math › Science Combustion Reactions in Chemistry An Introduction to Combustion (Burning) Reactions Share Flipboard Email Print ananaline / Getty Images Science Chemistry Basics Chemical Laws Molecules Periodic Table Projects & Experiments Scientific Method Biochemistry Physical Chemistry Medical Chemistry Chemistry In Everyday Life Famous Chemists Activities for Kids Abbreviations & Acronyms Biology Physics Geology Astronomy Weather & Climate By Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D. Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D. Facebook Twitter Chemistry Expert Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences, University of Tennessee at Knoxville B.A., Physics and Mathematics, Hastings College Dr. Helmenstine holds a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences and is a science writer, educator, and consultant. She has taught science courses at the high school, college, and graduate levels. Learn about our Editorial Process Updated on January 09, 2020 A combustion reaction is a major class of chemical reactions, commonly referred to as "burning." In the most general sense, combustion involves a reaction between any combustible material and an oxidizer to form an oxidized product. It usually occurs when a hydrocarbon reacts with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide and water. Good signs that you're dealing with a combustion reaction include the presence of oxygen as a reactant and carbon dioxide, water, and heat as products. Inorganic combustion reactions might not form all of those products but remain recognizable by the reaction of oxygen. Combustion Doesn't Necessarily Mean Fire Combustion is an exothermic reaction, meaning it releases heat, but sometimes the reaction proceeds so slowly that the change in temperature is not noticeable. Combustion doesn't always result in fire, but when it does, a flame is a characteristic indicator of the reaction. While the activation energy must be overcome to initiate combustion (i.e., using a lit match to light a fire), the heat from a flame may provide enough energy to make the reaction self-sustaining. General Form of a Combustion Reaction hydrocarbon + oxygen → carbon dioxide + water Examples of Combustion Reactions It's important to remember that combustion reactions are easy to recognize because the products always contain carbon dioxide and water. Here are several examples of balanced equations for combustion reactions. Note that while oxygen gas is always present as a reactant, in the trickier examples, the oxygen comes from another reactant. Combustion of methaneCH4(g) + 2 O2(g) → CO2(g) + 2 H2O(g)Burning of naphthaleneC10H8 + 12 O2 → 10 CO2 + 4 H2OCombustion of ethane2 C2H6 + 7 O2 → 4 CO2 + 6 H2OCombustion of butane (commonly found in lighters)2C4H10(g) +13O2(g) → 8CO2(g) +10H2O(g)Combustion of methanol (also known as wood alcohol)2CH3OH(g) + 3O2(g) → 2CO2(g) + 4H2O(g)Combustion of propane (used in gas grills, fireplaces, and some cookstoves)2C3H8(g) + 7O2(g) → 6CO2(g) + 8H2O(g) Complete Versus Incomplete Combustion Combustion, like all chemical reactions, does not always proceed with 100% efficiency. It's prone to limiting reactants the same as other processes. As a result, there are two types of combustion you're likely to encounter: Complete Combustion: Also called "clean combustion," complete combustion is the oxidation of a hydrocarbon that produces only carbon dioxide and water. An example of clean combustion would be burning a wax candle: The heat from the flaming wick vaporizes the wax (a hydrocarbon), which in turn, reacts with oxygen in the air to release carbon dioxide and water. Ideally, all the wax burns so nothing remains once the candle is consumed, while the water vapor and carbon dioxide dissipate into the air.Incomplete Combustion: Also called "dirty combustion," incomplete combustion is hydrocarbon oxidation that produces carbon monoxide and/or carbon (soot) in addition to carbon dioxide. An example of incomplete combustion would be burning coal (a fossil fuel), during which quantities of soot and carbon monoxide are released. In fact, many fossil fuels—including coal—burn incompletely, releasing waste products into the environment. Cite this Article Format mla apa chicago Your Citation Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "Combustion Reactions in Chemistry." ThoughtCo, Aug. 28, 2020, thoughtco.com/combustion-reactions-604030. Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. (2020, August 28). Combustion Reactions in Chemistry. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/combustion-reactions-604030 Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "Combustion Reactions in Chemistry." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/combustion-reactions-604030 (accessed March 29, 2023). copy citation Watch Now: What Are Types of Chemical Reactions?