carbon monoxide +
water.2CH4(g) + 3O2(g)
2CO(g) + 4H2O(l)gcsescience.com 31 gcsescience.com
Combustion of Hydrocarbons - Chemistry.
Incomplete Combustion of Natural Gas - Methane.
Incomplete combustion means burning in a lack of
air (not
enough oxygen).
If there is not enough oxygen
available
for all the carbon to turn into carbon
dioxide (complete
combustion),
then some or all of the carbon
turns to carbon monoxide.
This happens with any hydrocarbon - we
shall take methane as an example.
During incomplete combustion
methane gas burns with a
yellow flame
(unlike the clear blue flame seen in complete combustion).
Carbon particles (sooty
marks) may also be seen.
methane
+ oxygen
carbon monoxide +
water.
2CH4(g) + 3O2(g) 2CO(g) + 4H2O(l)
Carbon
monoxide is a very poisonous
gas. It can not be seen or
smelt.
Faulty gas fires or
boilers may produce carbon monoxide
and poison the air in a room without
anyone knowing.
Every year, people die from
carbon monoxide poisoning.
Carbon
monoxide acts as a poison
by combining with haemoglobin in the blood.
Haemoglobin normally reacts with oxygen
from the air
and transports the oxygen to the parts of the body which need
it.
Carbon monoxide is much more reactive
with haemoglobin than oxygen is.
It combines to form a stable compound with haemoglobin,
preventing the transport of oxygen
around the body.
The person dies by suffocating from the inside (nasty!).
Combustion of hydrocarbons, whether complete or incomplete,
have environmental and health concerns, see environmental
issues.
Headings Hydrocarbons Search Questions 
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Copyright © 2008 Dr. Colin France. All Rights Reserved.