*waits*

*jeopardy music*

*looks at entry on gases on Wikipedia*

 

...help? :uhoh:

 

Basically, to "burn" something means to add oxygen to it; without oxygen, there is no fire. For example, gasoline's chemical makeup is:

 

C8H18 (which means 8 carbon atoms and 18 hydrogen atoms)

 

When you add oxygen to that, you get

 

C8H18 + O2 ---> CO2 + H2O

 

It's kinda hard to explain (we literally just went over this today in chemistry, so I'm still getting the hang of it), but what that means is that the compound, or fuel (which is gasoline) reacts with oxygen and the energy that is given off is in the form of heat / light (a flame).

Basically, to "burn" something means to add oxygen to it; without oxygen, there is no fire. For example, gasoline's chemical makeup is:

 

C8H18 (which means 8 carbon atoms and 18 hydrogen atoms)

 

When you add oxygen to that, you get

 

C8H18 + O2 ---> CO2 + H2O

 

It's kinda hard to explain (we literally just went over this today in chemistry, so I'm still getting the hang of it), but what that means is that the compound, or fuel (which is gasoline) reacts with oxygen and the energy that is given off is in the form of heat / light (a flame).

...I hate to do this to you, but that's not what I meant. :lol:

 

What I was actually asking was more along the lines of how gases - without solids - burned. If they burned at all, that is.

(and I already knew the information about oxygen's necessity in burning)

So, if I fan Oxygen toward someone I'm burning them?

...I hate to do this to you, but that's not what I meant. :lol:

 

What I was actually asking was more along the lines of how gases - without solids - burned. If they burned at all, that is.

 

Well, the answer to that is basically the last paragraph of my post. The gas is basically a very volatile fuel whose chemical makeup is such that it reacts with oxygen whenever the two come into contact. The energy given off when they 'collide' is what creates the flame.

 

. . . I think :thinking:

 

Go ask your dad, he probably knows more about a high school sophomore :P

*goes off to ask dad*

 

:P

And I forgot to add that you need a first initial 'spark' that starts the chain reaction :facepalm:

I DON'T KNOW I DON'T THINK OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL :freak:

I feel dumb that I don't know :blank:

I know it takes forever to get Into homework mode

My guess is either a secondary or primary pollutant

^oh yeah science vocab!

...quoth my dad:

 

"It basically depends on the element."

 

THANKS. THAT WAS SO HELPFUL. :blank:

:lol:

...quoth my dad:

 

"It basically depends on the element."

 

THANKS. THAT WAS SO HELPFUL. :blank:

 

:thinking: Well, I suppose it kinda does

 

If we're talking about spontaneous combustion:

 

1. A substance with a relatively low ignition temperature (hay, straw, peat, etc.) begins to release heat. This may occur in several ways, usually oxidation by a little moisture & air, bacterial fermentation generates heat.

2. The heat is unable to escape (hay, straw, peat, etc. are good thermal insulators), and the temperature of the material rises.

3. The temperature of the material rises above its ignition point (even though much of the bacteria are destroyed by ignition temperatures).

4. Combustion begins if sufficient oxidizer, such as oxygen, & fuel are present to maintain the reaction into thermal run-away. (from Wikipedia)

 

Sodium (chemical symbol Na) is an element that I know of that does this when exposed to air or water

Well, it does, but he didn't explain the answer to my question (if/how gases burn....with a heat source, obviously) at all. -_-

 

...strangely, I knew everything you just told me about combustion of solids/liquids already.

Thanks for the review, though. :P

No problemo :P

 

Gotta go. 'Night guys! :hug:

Adios, Battle Ax! :hug:

Night Alex! :hug:

...crap, I should probably run tomorrow morning.

 

:escaping:

Night Anna. :hug:

Adios ppls

Geography competition today :)

 

Wish me luck! :anxious: