Headings Hydrocarbons Search Questions 
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Combustion of Hydrocarbons.
Hydrocarbons are mainly used as fuels.
The burning of a substance in
air is called combustion.
In chemistry, combustion (or burning) means reacting with oxygen.
Combustion is a form of oxidation.
The main products of combustion
from hydrocarbons are
carbon dioxide, water and heat.
The reaction is exothermic (gives out
heat energy).
The original
source of this energy is the
Sun!
Plant photosynthesis takes in energy from the Sun.
Fossil fuels
(which are the source of hydrocarbons)
come from the decay of plants or the animals
which fed on them.
Combustion of fossil fuels releases the energy which
has been stored up in the plant and animal
remains for millions of years.
Fossil
fuels are a finite resource
(there are only a certain amount of
them).
Fossil fuels are a
non-renewable energy
source. Once used, they are
gone.
We would have to wait for millions of
years
for nature to replace our coal, oil and
natural gas reserves - see renewable.
Headings Hydrocarbons Search Questions
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