Question

What is the chemical equation of burning fossil fuels?

Answer 1

Hint: To solve this question we first need to know what fossil fuels are. Fuels that contain organic molecules such as hydrocarbons and are formed in millions of years by natural processes like anaerobic decomposition of buried dead organisms are known as fossil fuels.

Complete answer:
Upon combustion, fossil fuels release energy. Some common examples of fossil fuels that contain a high percentage of carbon are natural gas, coal, and petroleum. Some other commonly used derivatives are propane and kerosene.
The range of fossil fuels includes non-volatile substances like anthracite coal which consist of almost pure carbon and volatile substances such as liquids like petroleum and materials with a low carbon-to-hydrogen ratio like methane.
The world's primary source of energy is derived from fossil fuels and refined products.
Petroleum amounts to 34% consumption, coal amounts to 27% consumption and natural gas amounts to 24% consumption making up the total share consumption of fossil fuels in the world as the primary energy source to 85%.
When fossil fuels are burnt in air, i.e., complete combustion, the chemical reaction that takes place is as follows
\[{{C}_{x}}{{Y}_{y}}+z{{O}_{2}}+3.77z{{N}_{2}}\xrightarrow{\Delta }xC{{O}_{2}}+\frac{y}{2}{{H}_{2}}O+3.77z{{N}_{2}}\]
Where $z=x+\frac{1}{4}y$.
Even though nitrogen is present in the air, it does not react while combustion but is depicted while writing the stoichiometric equation.
Here the ratio between oxygen (${{O}_{2}}$) and all non-oxygen components like nitrogen in the air is 3.77.
When fossil fuels are burnt in a controlled environment, i.e., partial or incomplete combustion, the chemical reaction that takes place is as follows
\[{{C}_{x}}{{H}_{y}}+z{{O}_{2}}\xrightarrow{\Delta }bCO+c{{H}_{2}}O+d{{H}_{2}}\]
Now, upon burning fossil fuels, apart from carbon dioxide gas carbon monoxide gas, and water, energy is also released in the form of heat and light. Some fossil fuels also contain radioactive materials and hence upon burning produce radioactive materials like uranium and thorium.

Note:
It should be noted that the burning of fossil fuels has extremely adverse effects on the environment.
- The carbon dioxide gas produced contributes to and accelerates global warming,
- Causes water and air pollution.
- Increases the rise in sea level.
- Causes acid rains due to the production of toxic gases, etc.