COMBUSTION, FLAME AND FUELS

SYLLABUS: Importance of combustion in everyday life, combustible substance, Non-combustible substances, fuels, fuel and its
types, the main characteristics of good or ideal fuel, Types of fuels based on physical state and occurrence, conditions necessary
for combustion to occur, oxygen supports combustion but does not burn, ignition temperature, Inflammable substances, types of
combustion based on the availability of oxygen, harmful effects of incomplete combustion, types of combustion based on the rate
of combustion, principles of extinguishing fire, fire extinguisher, foam type fire extinguisher, carbon tetrachloride fire
extinguisher, flame, candles flame and different zone of a flame, fuel efficiency, harmful effect of burning fuels, global warming.

INTRODUCTION
Combustion reactions are chemical reactions, in everyday life which is called as burning. When
a candle is lit it is combustion.
The process of burning of a substance is called as combustion.
It is an exothermic process.
A chemical reaction which gives out heat to the surroundings is called exothermic reactions.
It is a chemical reaction in which a substance reacts with the oxygen present in the air to give
out heat.

1. IMPORTANCE OF COMBUSTION IN EVERYDAY LIVES

Combustion reactions help release energy to heat our homes and run our vehicles.
Almost all our energy use is based on combustion.
Electricity is generated by burning of fossil fuels. Cooking, heating water etc is possible only
due to combustion.
Sometimes light is also produced during combustion either as flame or glow. So we can define
combustion as -
A chemical process in which a substance reacts with the oxygen to give heat and light
is called combustion. Eg-
1. Magnesium + Oxygen → Magnesium oxide + Heat +Light
2. Wood (Carbon) + Oxygen → Carbon di oxide + Heat +Light

2. COMBUSTIBLE SUBSTANCE
The substances which burn and catch fire are called as combustible substances.
For example: wood, paper, coke, coal, liquefied petroleum gas, natural gas, hydrogen, petrol,
kerosene, diesel etc.

3. NON-COMBUSTIBLE SUBSTANCE
Substances that do not burn or catch fire are called as non combustible substances. eg: cement,
stone, marbles, glass etc.

4. FUELS
What do respiration and burning gas fire have in common?
In both the cases fuels are reacting with oxygen to liberate energy.

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Both are examples of combustion.
The fuel is glucose from the food we consume in case of respiration and in gas fire the fuel is
natural gas.

5. FUELS AND ITS TYPES

Our body performs various functions for which it requires energy.
This energy is obtained from the food we eat through the process of respiration. Similarly, the
sources of heat energy for domestic and industrial purposes are mainly wood, charcoal, petrol,
kerosene etc. These are called fuels.

6. THE MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD OR IDEAL FUEL ARE

1. It is readily available.
2. It is cheap, easy to store and transport.
3. Have a high calorific value that means it should produce a large amount of heat on burning.
4. It does not produce any undesirable substance like harmful gas or ash on burning that
causespollution.
5. It should burn at a moderate rate so that the heat produced can be controlled.
6. Have an ignition temperature above the room temperature.

None of the fuels satisfy all the conditions.

A fuel is chosen in such a manner that it satisfies most of the above requirements for a
particular use.

7. TYPES OF FUELS
A. Based on the physical state of fuels, they can be classified as

(i) Solid fuels:The fuels which occur in solid form at room temperature are called as solid fuels.
e.g. - charcoal, wood and cow dung cakes etc.

(ii) Liquid fuels: The fuels which occur in liquid forms at room temperature are called as liquid
fuels. e.g. - kerosene, petrol and diesel etc.
(iii) Gaseous fuels:The fuels which occur in gaseous form at room temperature are called as
gaseous fuels. e.g. – CNG, LPG and Biogas etc.
Among these fuels, gaseous fuels are the best, because - has high calorific value, poisonous
substance and ash are not produced on burning ie 100% combustion takes place.

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B. Based on their occurrence, fuels can be classified as

(ii) Primary fuels:Fuels which can be used in the same form as they occur in nature.
E.g.wood, dry leaves, cow dung cakes and agricultural wastes. These fuels are mostly used in
rural areas.

(ii) Secondary fuels:These are the fuels which are obtained from the natural fuels after
physical or chemical treatment. E.g. biogas from animal dung, coke from coal, charcoal from
wood, petrol, kerosene, diesel, paraffin wax etc. from petroleum.

C. Based on their source, fuels can be classified as

(ii) Renewable fuels:These fuels are derived from renewable natural resources like plants or
animals. They get replenished easily. For example, fuels obtained from agricultural wastes like
paddy, straw, husk; forest residue like wood; animal wastes like cow dung cakes.

(ii) Non-renewable fuels:These are the fuels derived from non renewable resources such as
fossil fuels (e.g. coal, petroleum and natural gas) or radioactive substances (nuclear fuels) which
get exhausted over a period of time. They cannot be replenished easily.

8. CONDITIONS NECESSARY FOR COMBUSTION TO OCCUR ARE-

1. A combustible substance (Fuel) -There must be Fuel to burn. Presence of combustible
substance or the fuel is important for a fire. It can be a solid, liquid or gas. The type and
quantity of the fuel determines the method to be used to extinguish the fire.

2. Presence of supporter of combustion(oxygen or air) - There must be Air to supply

oxygen. Without oxygen no substance will undergo combustion. Most fires will burn vigorously
in any atmosphere of at least 20 percent oxygen. Without oxygen, most fuels could be heated
until entirely vaporized, yet would not burn.

3. Attainment of ignition temperature(heat) - There must be a source of Heat to start the

combustion. Heat is required to elevate the temperature of a material to its ignition point.
Sources of heat include matches, stoves, sparks, etc.

These three elements, called the “fire triangle,” create a chemical exothermic
reaction, which is fire.

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9. OXYGEN SUPPORTS COMBUSTION BUT DOES NOT BURN
Oxygen and air are the supporter of combustion.
Air contains 21% of oxygen by volume and 78% of nitrogen by volume which is neither a
supporter of combustion nor a combustible substance.
That is why combustible substances burn at a moderate rate in air but at a very fast rate in
oxygen.

The Fire Triangle indicates the conditions necessary for combustion.

10. IGNITION TEMPERATURE

The minimum temperature at which a substance catches fire and burns is called its ignition or
kindling temperature. A substance will not catch fire and burn if its temperature is lower than
its ignition temperature.
Around us we have many combustible substances but they do not catch fire or burn on their
own even though they are always in contact with the air.
Kerosene or wood never catches fire on their own, at room temperature, because their ignition
temperature is more than the atmospheric temperature. But if kerosene is heated a little, it
catches fire whereas if wood is heated a little it does not catch fire.
For burning of any fuel it’s important for a fuel to reach its Ignition Temperature.
1. Heat energy has to be supplied for a substance to burn, once the substance starts burning
enough heat is produced which keeps the substance above its ignition temperature.
2. Every substance has its own ignition temperature. Some substances have low ignition
temperature. For example- kerosene, paper petrol etc. Some substances have high ignition
temperature. For example- wood, charcoal etc.
3. Different substances have different ignition temperatures. For example, both petrol and a
piece of charcoal do not catch fire at room temperature. Petrol immediately catches fire on
providing a little heat while charcoal piece still does not catch fire. Sometimes it catches fire
only when we put a little kerosene oil over it. Thus we can say that the ignition temperature of
petrol is less than the ignition temperature of charcoal.

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11. INFLAMMABLE SUBSTANCE
Substances which have very low ignition temperature and can catch fire easily are called
inflammable substances.
For example: petrol, alcohol, LPG (liquefied petroleum gas), CNG (Compressed natural gas) etc.
Flammable liquids give off vapors that can easily be ignited at normal working temperatures.
(Inflammable means the same as flammable.)

12. TYPES OF COMBUSTION BASED ON THE AVAILABILITY

OF OXYGEN
Combustible substances, on burning produces heat and light are known as fuels .

i) COMPLETE COMBUSTION
When a fuel burns in excess of air or oxygen, so that the fuel react completely with oxygen to
produce carbon dioxide and water.
(Combustion of most fuels releases carbon dioxide in the environment. Increased
concentration of carbon dioxide causes Global warming)

ii) INCOMPLETE COMBUSTION

When a fuel burns in a poor supply of air or oxygen, instead of carbon dioxide, carbon and
carbon monoxide are released.
The carbon is released as soot. (Carbon can enter the lungs and can cause tissue damage)
Carbon fuels like wood, coal, petroleum release unburnt carbon particles.
Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas.
It releases less energy than complete combustion. It causes environmental pollution.
Candles and camp fires are examples of incomplete combustion.

13. HARMFUL EFFECTS OF INCOMPLETE COMBUSTION(carbon monoxide

poisoning)
Incomplete combustion of fuels liberates carbon monoxide gas which is very harmful.
It has no smell or color. If we breathe carbon monoxide it causes headaches, tiredness and
sometimes death.
It is poisonous in nature. Hemoglobin normally combines with oxygen from the air to form
oxyhaemoglobin and transports oxygen to the parts of the body. Carbon monoxide is more
reactive than oxygen so it prevents the oxygen from combining with hemoglobin; it combines
with the hemoglobin in the blood to form a stable compound carboxyhaemoglobin which
cannot carry oxygen to different parts of the body.
This results in deficiency of oxygen in the body, resulting in suffocation and even death.
Therefore it is necessary to service the gas heaters regularly, when coal oven or coal gas are
used for cooking there should be proper ventilation, we should not sleep in a closed room
where a coal fire is burning.

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14. TYPES OF COMBUSTION BASED ON THE RATE OF COMBUSTION
All substances do not burn with the same rate. A combustion reaction can occur at wide range
of speeds and in different environments.

1. Rapid combustion: If a combustion reaction takes place with a high speed, it is known as
rapid combustion. I.e. combustion in which the substance burns rapidly and produces heat and
light with the help of external heat or external ignition source is rapid combustion.
For e.g. a candle burns when a lighted match stick is brought closer to the wick of the candle.

2. Spontaneous Combustion:
It is the combustion in which a substance burns spontaneously and produces heat and light
without the help of external heat or external ignition source. It is a slow process that can take
several hours. It takes place at room temperature. It can occur when a material with a low
ignition temperature begins to self heat. It can constitute a serious fire hazard. For e.g. - When
a piece of dry white phosphorous is placed in china dish it catches fire without being heated.

Explanation:Due to slow oxidation of white phosphorous, heat is produced till the white
phosphorous reaches its ignition temperature. It is surrounded by enough oxygen, hence it
starts burning it often occurs in piles of oily rags, green hay, leaves or coal.
During extreme summers the dry grasses at some places attain their ignition temperature and
catch fire. Some metals such as sodium and potassium can also ignite spontaneously when wet.

3. Explosion:
Is a combustion in which a substance burns suddenly and produces tremendous amount of
heat, light and sound with the help of external heat or pressure.
For example: A cracker explodes as soon as it comes in contact with a burning splinter or when
pressure is applied to it. Fire crackers have been around for hundred years. They consist of
black powder (also known as gun powder) which contains charcoal, sulphur and potassium
nitrate. In addition to charcoal aluminum is used to brighten the explosion.

4. Slow combustion
It is a combustion in which no external heat source is required. It produces no light.
The reaction liberates heat at such a slow rate that it cannot be felt. For e.g.- The formation of
rust on iron articles. During respiration food reacts with oxygen in large number of cells in our
body and releases energy to sustain life processes.
Digestion liberates the same amount of energy as burning the same amount of food in a fire.
Inside our body we use the energy liberated to perform important functions like to power our
muscles, to keep the heart beating, the brain working but there is still plenty of heat from the
combustion reaction to keep us warm too. The process of digestion is similar to combustion but
releases energy much, more slowly and store energy in a chemical form that does not have to
be used all at once.

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15. PRINCIPLE OF EXTINGUISHING FIRE
Fire can be controlled by removing any one or more from the fire triangle.
A fire extinguisher cuts off the supply of air or brings down the temperature of the fuel or both
and controls the fire. The removal of any one of these conditions will result in the collapse of
the fire triangle and there will be no combustion.

16. FIRE CAN BE EXTINGUISHED BY FOLLOWING WAYS

1. By using water
Water cools the combustible material to a temperature below its ignition temperature which
prevents the fire from spreading. The water vapor also surrounds the combustible material and
thus helps in cutting off the supply of air. It can be used only when materials like wood, paper
etc. are on fire.
Water cannot be used:
(i) If electrical equipment’s are on fire because water conducts electricity and can harm those
trying to put out the fire.
(ii) To put out oil and petrol fires because they are lighter than water and float on water. Thus
they continue to burn.

2. By using sand
Sand is used to put out fire in case of oil fires where water cannot be used. The sand from a fire
bucket can also be used to absorb spills of flammable liquids and render them less dangerous,
by reducing the risk of ignition and explosion. Fire buckets are often provided at petrol filling
stations to absorb any small fuel spills.

3. By using carbon dioxide

Carbon dioxide is the best fire extinguisher to put out fire caused by inflammable materials like
oil and petrol and electrical equipments. Carbon dioxide is heavier than air and it covers the fire
and cuts off the supply of oxygen and puts out the fire. Carbon dioxide is stored at high
pressure as liquid in the cylinders. Chemicals like sodium bicarbonate, potassium bicarbonate
produce carbon dioxide near the fire.

17. FIRE EXTINGUISHER

Soda Acid Fire Extinguisher
It works on the principle of extinguishing fire by cooling the burning substance below its ignition
temperature by cutting of the supply of air.
The metallic cylinder is filled with a saturated solution of Sodium bicarbonate. A glass bottle
containing concentrated Sulphuric Acid is kept inside the metallic cylinder.

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Working:When we break open the pin of the extinguisher the small tube breaks and the acid
and the soda get mixed and react. The reaction produces Carbon dioxide CO2 which is
exertedout through the nozzle. The CO2 cuts off the oxygen supply of the source of fire. Since
there is no supporter of combustion, the fire gets extinguished.

18. FOAM TYPE FIRE EXTINUISHER

It is based on the principle of extinguishing fire by cutting off air supply to the burning
substance.
In structure, the foam type extinguisher is similar to the soda-acid fire extinguisher. It contains
a solution of aluminumsulphate in the bottle and a saturated solution of sodium bicarbonate in
the metallic cylinder. These two chemicals react to form carbon dioxide. Saponin is added to
sodium bicarbonate solution to produce foam. When the carbon dioxide foam comes out of the
fire extinguisher it covers the entire surface of burning oil thus cutting off the supply of air.
Foam type fire extinguishers are used for extinguishing fires caused by burning oil and petrol at
petrol pumps,airports, in oil tanks, etc.

19. CARBON TETRACHLORIDE FIRE EXTINGUISHER

When carbon tetrachloride is pumped out from the extinguisher, it vaporizes on coming in
contact with the burning material. Since carbon tetrachloride vapors are heavier than air, they
settle down on the burning material and cut off the air supply. The fire gets extinguished. The
carbon tetrachloride fire extinguisher is used to extinguish fire caused by electricity.

20. FLAME
Some substances burn with flame while others without flame.
A flame is said to be produced when a combustible substance is in the vapors state and burns.
For flame to be produced during combustion both the combustible substance and the
supporter of combustion must be gases. Only those solid or liquid substances which vaporize on
heating burn with a flame.

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Therefore flame is a zone of combustion of gaseous substances with the evolution of heat and
light.

21. CANDLE FLAME AND DIFFERENT ZONES OF A FLAME

Kerosene and molten wax produces a flame while charcoal does not produce a flame. A flame is
said to be produced when a combustible substance burns in its vapors state.

A candle flame has three main zones.

1. Outer zone or Non luminous zone:In the outer zone, complete combustion takes place
because the wax vapors get oxygen from the air and is of blue color. It is the hottest part of the
flame. Therefore the goldsmith blows with a metallic blow pipe for melting gold and silver.

2. Middle zone or luminous zone: In the middle zone, partial or incomplete combustion of
the fuel takes place and the color of the flame is yellow. It is moderately hot part of the flame.
Here the wax vapors cannot get oxygen from the air to burn completely. Some carbon particles
are left unburnt. These become white hot and make the flame yellow in color.

3. Inner zone or dark zone: It is the zone of no combustion. In the inner zone, there are
unburnt vapors of the fuel and the color is black. It is the least hot part of the flame.

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22. LUMINOUS FLAME AND NON-LUMINOUS FLAME
A yellow flame which produces heat and appreciable amount of light is known as luminous
flame. It is produced by the incomplete heat of a fuel, when the availability of air is insufficient.
A blue colored flame which produces very little light is called as non luminous flame. It is
obtained by the complete combustion of a fuel in the presence of adequate amount of air.

23. FUEL EFFICIENCY

Different fuels produce different amounts of heat on burning. Some fuels produce more heat
while others produce less heat. Thus the efficiency of various fuels can be compared by the
amount of heat produced by them.
The calorific value of a fuel is defined as the amount of heat energy produced on complete
combustion of 1 kg of a fuel. It is expressed in kilojoules per kg. A fuel with more calorific value
releases more energy than the fuel with a lower calorific value.
A domestic gas cylinder contains about 14.2 kg of Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). It is odorless
therefore to detect its leakage a strong smelling compound Ethyl mercaptan is added to LPG
cylinders.

24. HARMFUL EFFECT OF BURNING FUELS

1. Combustion of most fuels causes increased concentrations of carbon dioxide in the
environment that leads to global warming.
2. Incomplete combustion of fuels causes the production of a highly poisonous gas Carbon
monoxide that may be even fatal.
3. Combustion of fuels like wood, coal and petroleum fractions may release fine unburnt carbon
particles which may lead to respiratory diseases such as asthma.
4. Oxides of sulphur and nitrogen produced by the burning of coal, diesel and petrol cause acid
rain which is harmful for crops, buildings and soil.

25. GLOBAL WARMING

Global warming leads to rise in temperature of the earth which results in melting of polar
glaciers. This causes rise in sea level that causes floods in the coastal areas. Some of the low
lying areas may be submerged in water.

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OBJECTIVE
1.A chemical reaction which gives out heat to the surroundings is called
a. Exothermic Reaction b. Endothermic Reaction
c. Neither Exothermic nor Endothermic d. Both

2. Combustion is a chemical reaction in which a substance reacts with the______ present in the
air to give out heat.
a. Nitrogen b. Oxygen
c. Carbon Di Oxide d. Sulphur

3. Which of the following is non-combustible substance?

a. Wood b. Paper
c. Coke d. Marble

4. Just in the way in a burning gas the fuel is natural gas, the fuel in case of respiration is
a. Water b. Glucose
c. Sucrose d. Dextrose

5. Among the following which is the characteristics of good fuel?

a. It is readily available.
b. It is cheap, easy to store and transport.
c. Have a high calorific value that means it should produce a large amount of heat on burning.
d. All of the above

6. Fossil Fuels are ______ fuels.

a. Renewable b. Non – Renewable
c. Secondary d. Primary

7. Which of the following is not the necessary condition for combustion to occur?
a. A combustible substance
b. Presence of supporter of combustion (oxygen or air)
c. Attainment of ignition temperature
d. Renewable fuels

8. Nitrogen is
a. Supporter of combustion
b. Necessary for combustion
c. Combustible substance
d. Neither a supporter nor a combustible substance

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9. Kerosene or wood never catches fire on their own, at room temperature,
a. Because their ignition temperature is more than the atmospheric temperature.
b. Because they are not good fuel
c. Because they are not combustible
d. Because they are not good source for oxygen

10. For burning of any fuel it’s important for a fuel to reach its
a. Boiling Temperature b. Ignition Temperature
c. Melting Temperature d. Critical Temperature

11. Which of the following has the highest ignition temperature?

a. Kerosene b. Petrol
c. Paper d. Wood

12. Which of the following gas is released in incomplete combustion?

a. Carbon Dioxide b. Oxygen
c. Carbon Monoxide d. Sulphur

13. Carbon monoxide combines with the hemoglobin in the blood to form a stable compound
a. Carboxyhaemoglobin b. Oxyhaemoglobin
c. Oxygen d.Carbon Dioxide

14. Which of the following combustion takes place at room temperature?

a. Rapid b. Spontaneous
c. Explosion d. Slow

15. Fire extinguisher stops fire by

a. By cutting of air supply
b. By bringing down the temperature of fuel
c.Both a and b
d. None of these

16. Why water cannot be used to stop fire if fire is caused by or catches electrical appliances?
a. Because it’s not sufficient
b. Because it is liquid
c. Because it conducts electricity
d. Because it does not bring the temperature down of a fuel

17. Only those solid or liquid substances which ________on heating burn with a flame.
a. Melt b. Vaporize
c. Freeze d.None of these

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18. In a candle flame complete combustion takes place in
a. Outer Zone b. Inner Zone
b. Middle Zone d. Nowhere

19. Which is the hottest part of the flame?

a. Outer Zone b. Inner Zone
b. Middle Zone d. The temperature is same in all the zone

20. Luminous flame is produced by

a. Incomplete heat of fuel b. completeheat of fuel
c. Only gaseous fuels d. Only candle

21. To detect the leakage of LPG which of the following is added to it?
a. Methane Gas b. Ethyl Mercaptan
c.Benzene d. Nitrogen

22. When magnesium ribbon burnt it produce

a. Magnesium hydroxide b. Magnesium oxide
c. Magnesium chloride d. Magnesium sulphate

23. Combustion is a-
a. Physical process b. Chemical process
c. Both (a) & (b) d. None of these

24. Essential requirements for producing fire are:

a. Fuel b. Air
c. Heat d. All of these

25. Substance which vaporize during Burning gives

a. Sound b. Flame
c. Combustion d. None of these

ANSWERS
1. a 2. b 3. d 4. b 5. d 6. b 7. d
8. d 9. a 10. b 11. d 12. c 13. a 14. b
15. c 16. c 17. b 18. a 19. a 20. a 21. b
22. b 23. b 24. d 25. b

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QI. Fill in the blanks:
1. During the process of combustion _________ and ___________ are given out.
2. Fuel releases its energy through a chemical reaction known as ____________.
3. Inflammable substances have very ________ ignition temperature.
4. A liquid that ignites and burns easily at room temperature is called as _______substance.
5. Incomplete combustion releases _______ energy than complete combustion.
6. Incomplete combustion causes _________________________.
7. Incomplete combustion occurs due to lack of burning of __________ gas.
8. ___________ and _____________ are the only two products obtained during complete
combustion.
9. Increased percentage of carbon dioxide in the air gives rise to ___________________.
10. Rusting of iron is an example of ___________ combustion and a _____________change.

QII. True /false:

(a) It is easy to burn a piece of wood with a match stick.
(b) Food is a fuel for our body.
(c) Charcoal burns with a flame.
(d) A substance will not burn unless it reaches its ignition temperature.
(e) Respiration is an example of spontaneous combustion.

QIII. Give one word for the following statements

(a) Least hot region of the candle consisting of unburnt wax vapors.
(b) Fuels which are obtained from natural fuels after physical or chemical treatment.
(c) Region where combustion of gaseous substances takes place.
(d) Amount of heat energy released by complete combustion of 1 kg of fuel.
(e) Name the pollutants responsible for the following:
(f)Greenhouse effect, Acid rain, Respiratory problems

QIV. Answer the following questions:

1. Why is carbon monoxide poisonous?
2. List some benefits of combustion.
3. What happens when we cover a burning candle with an inverted glass jar? Why?
4. What happens when we heat water in a paper cup on a burner? Why?
5. What happens when a candle burns for a while? Where does the candle wax go?
6. Name the gas formed as a result of incomplete combustion.
7. Differentiate between complete and incomplete combustion .
8. Compare Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and wood as fuel.
9. Why water is not used to extinguish electrical fires?
10. Why innermost zone is called zone of no combustion?
11. Differentiate between rapid and spontaneous combustion.
12. Can the process of rusting be called combustion? Discuss.

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Q VI. Give Reason:
1. Gas appliances should be serviced regularly. Explain.
2. Phosphorous is stored under water.
3. Dry leaves burn easily, whereas green leaves do not?
4. Goldsmiths blow the outermost zone of a flame with a metallic blow pipe for melting gold
and silver.
5.Carbon dioxide is the best extinguisher for fires involving electrical equipment and
inflammable materials.
6. We should not light a match stick near a petrol pump.

NCERT EXERCISE
Q.1. List conditions under which combustion can take place.
Ans. Conditions necessary for combustion are:
(i) Presence of a combustible substance.
(ii) Attainment of ignition temperature.
(iii) Proper supply of air to provide oxygen.
Q.2. Fill in the blanks.
(a) Burning of wood and coal causes _________ of air.
(b) A liquid fuel used in homes is _________.
(c) Fuel must be heated to its_________before it starts burning.
(d) Fire produced by oil cannot be controlled by_________.
Ans. (a) Pollution (b) kerosene. (c) Ignition temperature (d) water.
Q.3. Explain how the use of CNG in automobiles has reduced pollution in our cities.
Ans. The use of CNG in place of petrol and diesel reduce pollutions in following ways:
(i) It produces less carbon monoxide gas.
(ii) It produces less carbon dioxide gas.
(iii) It produces less amount of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide which cause acid rain.
(iv) No residue remains after combustion.

Q.4. Compare LPG and wood as fuels.

Ans. Differences:

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Q.5. Give reasons:
(a) Water is not used to control fires involving electrical equipment.
(b) LPG is a better domestic fuel than wood.
(c) Paper by itself catches fire easily whereas a piece of paper wrapped around an aluminum
pipe does not.
Ans. (a) Water is a good conductor of electricity. It conducts electricity and may result electric
shock.
(b) LPG has more calorific value and produces no pollution. So it is better domestic fuel than
wood.
(c) The ignition temperature of paper is less, so it catches fire easily. It does not catch fire when
wrapped around aluminum pipe because aluminum absorbs the heat, so paper does not attain
its ignition temperature.

Q.6. Make a labelled diagram of candle flame.

Ans.

Fig. 6.2 Different zones of Candle flame

Q.7. Name the unit in which the calorific value of a fuel is expressed.
Ans. Kilojoules per kg (kJ/kg)
Q.8. Explain how CO2 is able to control fires.
Ans. (i) CO2 forms a blanket around fire due to which supply of air is stopped.
(ii) CO2 also brings down the temperature of the fuel.
Q.9. It is difficult to burn a heap of green leaves but dry leaves catch fire easily. Explain.
Ans. The green leaves contain some water due to which the ignition temperature of leaves
increases and they do not catch fire easily while dry leaves have no water, so they catch fire
easily.

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Q.10. Which zone of a flame does a goldsmith use for melting gold and silver and why?
Ans. A goldsmith uses the outer zone (non-luminous zone) of a candle flame to melt gold and
silver because it is the hottest zone and has more temperature.\

Q.11. In an experiment 4.5 kg of a fuel was completely burnt. The heat produced was measured
to be 180,000 kJ. Calculate the calorific value of the fuel.
Ans. Total mass of fuel = 4.5 kg
Total heat produced = 180,000 kJ
Heat produced by burning 1 kg of fuel = 180,000 kJ/4.5 kg = 40,000 kJ/kg.
So, calorific value of fuel = 40,000 kJ/kg.

Q.12. Can the process of rusting be called combustion? Discuss.

Ans. The process of rusting cannot be called combustion because in this process no heat and
light is produced. Due to this reason iron is not considered as combustible substance.

Q.13. Abidaand Ramesh were doing an experiment in which water was to be heated in a
beaker. Abida kept the beaker near the wick in the yellow part of the candle flame. Ramesh
kept the beaker in the outermost part of the flame. Whose water will get heated in a shorter
time?
Ans. The water heated by Ramesh will get heated in a shorter time because he kept his beaker
near the hottest zone of the flame.

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