Why does combustion require oxygen

Combustion is a chemical process in which a substance reacts rapidly with oxygen and gives off heat. The original substance is called the fuel, and the source of oxygen is called the oxidizer.

The fuel can be a solid, liquid, or gas, although for airplane propulsion the fuel is usually a liquid. The oxidizer, likewise, could be a solid, liquid, or gas, but is usually a gas air for airplanes.

For model rockets, a solid fuel and oxidizer is used. During combustion, new chemical substances are created from the fuel and the oxidizer. These substances are called exhaust. Most of the exhaust comes from chemical combinations of the fuel and oxygen. But the exhaust can also include chemical combinations from the oxidizer alone. The moisture content determines how easily it will burn.

Air contains about 21 percent oxygen, and most fires require at least 16 percent oxygen content to burn. Oxygen supports the chemical processes that occur during fire. When fuel burns, it reacts with oxygen from the surrounding air, releasing heat and generating combustion products gases, smoke, embers, etc.

This process is known as oxidation. Remember, OnlyYou can prevent wildfires! Smokey Bear logo. Search Search Text Search Close. Create a free Team What is Teams? Learn more. Why is O2 the supporter of combustion?

Ask Question. Asked 8 years, 3 months ago. Active 4 years, 5 months ago. Viewed 37k times. And, what happens when a combustible gas burns in air? Improve this question. Jan Gerard Gerard 3, 13 13 gold badges 36 36 silver badges 47 47 bronze badges. Add a comment. Active Oldest Votes. Specifically, combustion requires three things: 1 Fuel : The thing that burns. Improve this answer.