sch3u combustion reactions

Steve Hall -SCH3U Combustion Reactions pg 1/3

Combustion Reactions

Steve M Hall

for Mr Vance McPhersonSCH3U

2013-05-02


Task1. Write the complete, and two incomplete combustion reaction equations for two of the following

compounds: ethyne, ethene,1 octane, propylene, pentane.2. Prepare a precis (a brief summary) of laws in your jurisdiction as they pertain to the placement

of carbon monoxide detectors in residences and workplaces.

Part 1: Reaction EquationsEthyne Reaction Equations

Complete combustion:

Incomplete combustion:

Incomplete combustion: structural formula of ethyne

Ethene Reaction EquationsComplete combustion:

Incomplete combustion:

Incomplete combustion:structural formula of ethene

2C2H

2 + 5O

2 ⇨ 4CO

2 + 2H

2O

C2H

4 + 5O

2 ⇨ 2CO + 2H

2O

2C2H

2 + 3O

2 ⇨ 4CO + 2H

2O

C2H

4 + 3O

2 ⇨ 2CO

2 + 2H

2O

C2H

4 + O

2 ⇨ C

2 + 2H

2O

C2H

4 + 2O

2 ⇨ 2CO + 2H

2O

Part 2: PrecisWhat is carbon monoxide? And where does it come from? Carbon monoxide is a colourless, odorless, toxic flammable gas, formed by the incomplete combustion of carbon. It's molecular formula is “CO”. You can see about that “CO” (carbon monoxide) is formed when there is an incomplete combustion of ethyne and ethene, as these are the reactions I looked at for this project. Incomplete combustion occurs when there is an insufficient supply of oxygen, therefore, not all of the fuel is used up, leaving other compounds behind, like in the case of ethene, carbon monoxide and water. It's not always just burning of chemical fuels – wood fires in your home and charcoal grills produce large amounts of carbon monoxide.

You might be thinking, we exhale carbon dioxide – why is carbon monoxide so bad for us? Carbon monoxide combines with our hemoglobin, which is the oxygen carrying agent in the red blood cells in our system, meaning oxygen is being robbed from the brain and other organs, and we might not even notice it! As a result of carbon monoxide, death is very possible, and survivors of severe CO poisoning have been reported to have developped memory impairment and other serious illnesses. So there is a colourless, odourless gas in the air, that is toxic and can kill us without us even noticing – you might be thinking, we're doomed!

Don't worry! There are such things as carbon monoxide detectors – and trust me, you want a lot of them!

1 These are the compounds I have chosen.


(Part 2: Precis continued)Here are some places you might want to install CO detectors:

All of these places may have incomplete combustion occurring, so it's better to be safe than sorry, (or in this case, dead), and install some carbon monoxide monitors! Carbon monoxide isn't just a problem at home. It's a problem anywhere you go – even work! You might work in an office and think “There's no way incomplete combustion is happening at my workplace,” but it can happen anywhere. You may work in an office, but carbon monoxide can still get to you at work as a result of faulty venting, improper maintenance and weather conditions. The Canadian government requires carbon monoxide detectors and gas handling systems to be installed on every floor in a workplace. But just because you are protected by law at work, doesn't mean you should not take precautions at home! Install a detector today!

Bibliography

Carbon monoxide detector placement [Fact sheet]. (n.d.). Retrieved May 1, 2013, from Home Safe website: http://www.homesafe.com/coalert/detect.htm

Industrial Accident Prevention Association (IAPA): Carbon monoxide in the workplace. (2008). Retrieved from http://www.iapa.ca/pdf/carbon_monoxide_feb2003.pdf

Clancy, C. (2010). McGraw-Hill Ryerson chemistry 11. Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson.

Penney, D. G. (2008). Carbon monoxide poisoning. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.

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