When you burn wood, what are you actually burning? What are the combustion products?

Combustion is a chemical reaction that involves the rapid oxidation of a substance, producing heat and light. In the context of burning wood, this means that the wood reacts with oxygen in the air to produce heat, light, and combustion products.

Wood is primarily composed of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. These organic compounds are made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms. During combustion, the chemical elements in the wood react with oxygen from the air.

During the combustion process, the carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms in the wood react with oxygen in the air to form new compounds. The main combustion reaction can be represented as follows: \(C_xH_yO_z + O_2 \rightarrow CO_2 + H_2O\) Here, \(C_xH_yO_z\) represents the general formula for the organic compounds (cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin) found in the wood.

From the combustion reaction in step 3, we can see that the main products of wood combustion are carbon dioxide (CO_2) and water (H_2O). However, other products can also be produced, depending on the conditions and impurities present in the wood. Some of these additional products may include: 1. Carbon monoxide (CO), which is a toxic and highly dangerous gas. 2. Smoke and various particulate matter, which can contribute to air pollution. 3. Nitrogen oxides (NOx), which can contribute to smog and acid rain. 4. Sulfur dioxide (SO_2), which can also contribute to acid rain if sulfur is present in the wood. To conclude, when wood is burned, the organic compounds in the wood (mainly cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin) react with oxygen in the air to produce heat, light, and combustion products. The primary combustion products are carbon dioxide and water, and some other possible products include carbon monoxide, smoke, nitrogen oxides, and sulfur dioxide, depending on the specific conditions and impurities in the wood.