Burning of Fuels Leads to Harmful Products

4.7.1 Burning of Fuels Leads to Harmful Products

Description

Quick Overview

The combustion of fuels, such as wood and gasoline, results in various harmful emissions that impact the environment.

Standard

This section explains the various harmful byproducts of fuel combustion, including carbon dioxide, unburnt carbon, and sulphur dioxide. These emissions contribute to global warming, acid rain, and other environmental issues, emphasizing the importance of using cleaner alternatives like CNG.

Detailed

Burning of Fuels Leads to Harmful Products

Combustion of fuels, such as wood, coal, and petroleum, results in various harmful emissions that have severe consequences for the environment. As fuels are burned, they release unburnt carbon particles into the air, which are significant pollutants causing respiratory diseases. The combustion process also generates carbon dioxide (CO2), the concentration of which is rising in the atmosphere and is linked to global warming—this results in the melting of polar glaciers and potential flooding in coastal areas.

Moreover, fuels like coal and diesel release sulphur dioxide, a highly corrosive gas that, along with nitrogen oxides produced by petrol engines, leads to acid rain when combined with moisture in the atmosphere. Acid rain can damage crops, buildings, and soil.

To mitigate the pollution generated by traditional fuels, CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) is being promoted as a cleaner alternative due to its lower emissions. This section underscores the pressing need to transition to cleaner fuels to protect the environment and reduce pollutants.

Key Concepts

  • Combustion: A chemical process that involves burning a fuel in the presence of oxygen, leading to the release of heat and light.

  • Harmful Products of Combustion: Combustion of fuels releases carbon dioxide, unburnt carbon, and sulphur dioxide, leading to environmental and health issues.

  • Global Warming: Increased levels of carbon dioxide trapped in the atmosphere, leading to rising temperatures and climate changes.

  • Cleaner Alternatives: Fuels like CNG are cleaner and produce lower emissions compared to traditional fuels.

Memory Aids

🎵 Rhymes Time

  • When wood and coal burn bright, be aware of pollutants in sight, carbon’s bad, it’s not right, switch to CNG for delight!

📖 Fascinating Stories

  • Once, in a small village, all villagers burned wood without care, polluting the sky with smoke. One day, a wise traveler introduced them to CNG, and soon, they breathed clear air and thrived.

🧠 Other Memory Gems

  • Remember 'CAP' - Climate, Acid rain, Pollution for impacts from fuel combustion.

🎯 Super Acronyms

Use 'CUP' to recall harmful combustion products

  • Carbon
  • Unburnt hydrocarbons
  • Pollutants.

Examples

  • Burning coal releases soot, which is unburnt carbon that contributes to air pollution.

  • CNG produces significantly less carbon emissions compared to petrol and diesel, making it a preferable option for vehicles.

Glossary of Terms

  • Term: ACID RAIN

    Definition:

    Precipitation containing high levels of sulfuric and nitric acids, formed when sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides mix with moisture in the atmosphere.

  • Term: CALORIFIC VALUE

    Definition:

    The amount of heat energy produced during the complete combustion of 1 kg of fuel, measured in kilojoules.

  • Term: COMBUSTION

    Definition:

    A chemical process in which a substance reacts with oxygen to produce heat and light.

  • Term: GLOBAL WARMING

    Definition:

    The gradual increase in Earth's atmospheric temperature due to greenhouse gas emissions.

  • Term: INFLAMMABLE SUBSTANCES

    Definition:

    Materials that catch fire easily at low temperatures.