Page 67 - Big Ideas Year 10 sciPAD 2025

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SCIPAD - BIG IDEAS - BOOK 2
FUELS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Combustion
The word ‘combustion’ describes the chemical reaction between
a fuel and oxygen. The burning of wood, petrol, ethanol and coal
are all familiar reactions. They all involve the reaction of organic
molecules in the fuels with oxygen gas in the atmosphere.
The word equation is:
Fuel + oxygen carbon dioxide + water
In the past, fuels were much more a part of our everyday lives. Coal
was burned to warm houses and to heat stoves for cooking. Gas
was burned to provide light for houses, and even to provide street
lights. Wax candles were found in almost every house.
Just a few decades ago, even very young children were more
familiar with the physical (and some chemical) properties of fuels
than you are. Spirits, petrol, kerosene, diesel, wax, coal and wood
were stored, handled and used to supply energy in the forms of
heat and light to homes, businesses and factories.
Today, only petrol for our cars remains as a familiar, everyday fuel
that we all recognise. Very few people are unaware that petrol is
a liquid, with a strong smell because of its low boiling point, and that it stores a large amount of
energy in a very small volume.
1. Define ‘combustion’. 



2. State the element that is always a reactant in combustion reactions.

3. List 5 common fuels:
(a) 
(b) 
(c) 
(d) 
(e) 
4. Describe how fuels were used in the past.



5. A petrol powered car uses the energy released from combustion in the engine to drive
the vehicle. Write a word equation for this reaction.
+ +
6. Describe why a camp fire in the bush, at the beach, or even in your home can provide
comfort to humans. 




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