What is Combustion?

Welcome back MechanicalEI, Did you know that Combustion was the first controlled chemical reaction discovered by humans, in the form of campfires and bonfires? This makes us wonder, What is combustion? Before we jump in check out the previous part of this series to learn about what the Atkinson and Brayton Cycles are? Now, Combustion or burning, is a high-temperature exothermic redox chemical reaction between a fuel (the reductant) and an oxidant, usually atmospheric oxygen, that produces oxidized, often gaseous products, in a mixture termed as smoke. Combustion in a fire produces a flame, and the heat produced can make combustion self-sustaining. Combustion is often hot enough that light in the form of either glowing or a flame is produced. The standard enthalpy change of combustion of a compound is the enthalpy change which occurs when one mole of the compound is burned completely in oxygen under standard conditions, and with everything in its standard state. The enthalpy change of combustion will always have a negative value, because burning always releases heat. Hence, We first saw what Combustion is and then went on to see what the enthalpy of combustion is?
In the next episode of MechanicalEI find out what theoretical and actual combustion are?

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