8.8 - Incomplete combustion of hydrocarbons
Explain how too little oxygen changes hydrocarbon combustion products, and use balanced equations to compare the oxygen needed.
Why oxygen shortage changes the products
Incomplete combustion happens when a fuel burns with insufficient oxygen for complete combustion. Some oxygen is still needed: “limited oxygen” does not mean “no oxygen”.
In complete combustion, carbon in the fuel is fully oxidised to CO₂. With less oxygen available, some carbon can form carbon monoxide, CO, or solid carbon, C, seen as soot. CO contains one oxygen atom per carbon, whereas CO₂ contains two; solid carbon contains no oxygen.
Hydrogen in the fuel can still form water. Real flames can produce a mixture of CO₂, CO, carbon and water, depending on how well oxygen reaches and mixes with the fuel. The simple equations below illustrate possible outcomes rather than an exact product switch at one oxygen level.
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