Burning Fuels

Fuels are chemicals with energy stored in them, that can be released by burrning.

And what is "burning", anyway? Fires need fuel and oxygen;
the process of burning is the molecules of oxygen and the molecules of fuel breaking each other apart and reforming into new combinations.

Coal is made of carbon atoms; the burning of carbon involves carbon atoms attaching to oxygen atoms.
In the air, oxygen (O) atoms like to stick together in pairs - so written as O2.
If there's enough air, the result is carbon dioxide CO2; if there's a shortage of air, carbon monoxide CO can be formed.
(to the left) CO2
carbon dioxide - same atoms as above, now joined all together

Hydrogen gas (H2) is also a fuel that can burn with oxygen; 2 molecules of hydrogen combine with one molecule of oxygen to form ?? ---------->
As a chemical formula: 2H2 + O2 -> 2 H2O + heat and light (if combination occurs via fire). A fuel cell is an apparatus for combining them and producing electricity instead of light and heat - and NO POLLUTION! Just water as the exhaust!
Another fuel that's very important for us is natural gas, used in
  • stoves
  • water heaters
  • furnaces
  • electric power stations
and many other places. Chemists call it methane, and its molecule contains
4 hydrogens (H) stuck to one carbon (C) - so written as CH4.

Methane CH4Oxygen O2
Here's a hands-on activity to work with these ideas in the classroom!
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