Chemistry (AS Level)·Hydrocarbons · NSSCAS 4.2.3
Hydrocarbons as Fuels
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The alkanes you already know are the petrol, diesel, paraffin and gas that power Namibia. Learn why they make such good fuels, how to write balanced equations for complete combustion, and what goes wrong in incomplete combustion. Meet the exhaust pollutants — carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen and unburnt hydrocarbons — and see how a catalytic converter removes them. Finish with the enhanced greenhouse effect, global warming, and how infra-red spectroscopy monitors air pollution.
What you'll learn in this lesson
By the end you should be able to (NSSCAS Chemistry (AS Level) 4.2.3):
- Describe and explain how the combustion reactions of alkanes led to their use as fuels in industry, in the home and in transport, and write balanced equations for complete combustion
- Recognise the environmental consequences of carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen and unburnt hydrocarbons from the internal combustion engine, and their catalytic removal
- Recognise the gases (CO₂ and CH₄) that contribute to the enhanced greenhouse effect and global warming
- Outline the use of infra-red spectroscopy in monitoring air pollution
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