Unit 1 : Combustion

Study Guide!

1. What is combustion? Write down the equation for combustion.

2. What are the reactants and products of combustion?

3. In terms of system and surrounding, which way does the energy flow in
combustion? What are those type of chemical reactions called? Draw a picture.

4. In terms of system and surrounding, which way does the heat flow in reactions that
ABSORB energy? What are those reactions called? Draw a picture.

5. When you are boiling water on the stove, you can see steam escaping. Is the process
endothermic or exothermic? Why?

6. Draw the energy diagram with labels for an exothermic reaction or process.

7. Draw the energy diagram for an endothermic reaction or process. Label your graph

8. What is the extra energy needed by reactants to start the reaction called? Imagine
rolling a stone uphill before rolling it down. What energy does it acquire on top of the hill?

9. If we are measuring the temperature of the surrounding for a system undergoing a

change, and we see an increase in the temperature, what does it mean? Is the change
exothermic or endothermic?

10. If we are measuring the temperature of the surrounding for a system undergoing a
change, and we see an decrease in the temperature, what does it mean? Is the change
exothermic or endothermic?

11. What is enthalpy? What symbol do we use for it?

12. What kind of reaction has a positive enthalpy?

13. What kind of reaction has a negative enthalpy?

14. What is an example of a combustion reaction?

15. Draw the fire triangle ( what three things are needed for combustion to start?
16. A firecracker burns releasing heat and light. What kind of a reaction is it?

17. In photosynthesis plants use suns energy to make glucose. What kind of a reaction
is it?

18. Which kind of reaction ( exo/endothermic ) needs the reactants to gain more
activation energy? Look at the graphs to help you visualize!

19. What are two other words or phrases we can use instead of enthalpy?

20. Draw the system/surrounding and energy flow in an exothermic reaction.

21. Draw the system/surrounding and energy flow in an endothermic reaction.

22. Which reactions end up with products at a higher energy level?

23. Which reactions end up with products at a lower energy level?

24. What are the main elements in a food or fuel?

25. What are the three essentials for combustion to occur?

26. What is the energy contained in food called?

27. What is energy?

28. What equation do we use to calculate the energy in food?

29. What is the unit of heat?

30. What is 1 Calorie?

31. What does the variable m represent?

32. What variable do we use to indicate a difference in temperature?

33. What is a chemical change?

34. Give an example of a physical change.

35. Which way does energy flow when bonds break?

36. Which way does the energy flow when new bonds are formed?
37. Two compounds AB and CD react to form two new compounds AC and BD. Draw a
diagram to describe this reaction at the molecular level. Indicate energy flow with arrows.
Write down the enthalpy change in the equation if it was endothermic.

38. What is intermolecular force?

39. If a substance has strong intermolecular force, will its evaporation rate be high or
low? Why?

40. Evaporation is a physical change. Is the process exothermic or endothermic?