11 Facts About Combustion

Combustion, or burning, is a high-temperature exothermic redox chemical reaction between a fuel and an oxidant, usually atmospheric oxygen, that produces oxidized, often gaseous products, in a mixture termed as smoke.

Combustion does not always result in fire, because a flame is only visible when substances undergoing combustion vaporize, but when it does, a flame is a characteristic indicator of the reaction.

Combustion is often a complicated sequence of elementary radical reactions.

Combustion is often hot enough that incandescent light in the form of either glowing or a flame is produced.

Combustion was the first controlled chemical reaction discovered by humans, in the form of campfires and bonfires, and continues to be the main method to produce energy for humanity.

Combustion is currently the only reaction used to power rockets.

Combustion is used to destroy waste, both nonhazardous and hazardous.

Combustion is not necessarily favorable to the maximum degree of oxidation, and it can be temperature-dependent.

Combustion in oxygen is a chain reaction in which many distinct radical intermediates participate.

Combustion instabilities are typically violent pressure oscillations in a combustion chamber.

Combustion instabilities are a major concern in ground-based gas turbine engines because of emissions.