What chemical reactions take place when fuels burn?
Activities Show pupils a video/video clip or other secondary sources of a range of fuels burning, and ask them what they recall about the sort of materials that are fuels and what is made when they burn. Demonstrate products (carbon dioxide and water) of burning natural gas. Ask pupils to explore, using secondary sources and practical work, what is formed when other fuels containing hydrogen and carbon, eg ethanol, wax, wood, burn. Establish the products of complete combustion as carbon dioxide and water, and that soot and carbon monoxide can also be formed. Extend by asking pupils to find out about the use of hydrogen as a fuel and its advantages and disadvantages. Outcomes identify a range of fuels and describe fuels as substances that release energy when they burn generalise about the products of burning fuels that contain hydrogen and carbon balance advantages of hydrogen as a fuel, eg produces no carbon dioxide, light, against disadvantages, eg highly explosive if mixed with air,
