For Complete and Incomplete Combustion?

Complete combustion occurs when there is enough oxygen to completely use up all the reactants. Incomplete combustion occurs when there is not enough oxygen resulting in the production of smoke, and less energy is produced when compared with complete combustion.

What is the equation for complete and incomplete combustion?

The equation for incomplete combustion of propane is: 2 C3H8 + 9 O2 → 4 CO2 + 2 CO + 8 H2O + Heat. If not enough oxygen is present for complete combustion, incomplete combustion occurs. The result of incomplete combustion is, once again, water vapour, carbon dioxide and heat. But it also produces carbon monoxide.

What are the examples of complete combustion and incomplete combustion?

An example is burning of paper. It leaves behind ash (a form of soot) as a byproduct. In a complete combustion, the only products are water and carbon dioxide. Also, incomplete combustion produces less energy than complete combustion.

Marcus Vance

Marcus Vance

Cybersecurity & Digital Privacy Researcher

Marcus Vance is a cybersecurity auditor and technology writer dedicated to educating the public about online safety, data privacy regulations, enterprise security, and emerging cyber threats.