What is incomplete combustion?

Incomplete combustion occurs when supply of air or oxygen is poor and carbon monoxide, carbon and water are produced.

Burning of fuels when there is poor oxygen. Results in the production of carbon monoxide

A combustion reaction that takes places in an environment where there is not enough oxygen supply to react with all carbon atoms. Therefore, instead of producing carbon dioxide (CO2) as one of the products, it produces either carbon monoxide (CO) or carbon particulates (C) along with water (H2O)

This is when there is little or no oxygen available for combustion so instead of carbon dioxide being produced carbon monoxide is, this is poisonous.

Incomplete combustion takes place when there is insufficient oxygen to supply to the fuel being burnt. It results in carbon monoxide and soot being formed instead of carbon dioxide. Water is also produced as well a reduced amount of energy liberated.

Incomplete combustion is when there is insufficient oxygen for burning and carbon monoxide and carbon (soot) is produced as well as carbon dioxide. Complete combustion , if possible, would produce only carbon dioxide.

When substances have reacted with insufficient oxygen and will produce carbon monoxide (CO) and water (H2O).

It is when there is not enough oxygen produced. Therefore, carbon monoxide (a toxic gas) is produced instead.

Incomplete burning of fuel as a result of lack of oxygen

Combustion in limited supply of oxygen

Fuels are normally hydrocarbons - molecules that are made up of only atoms of hydrogen and carbon. When these fuels combust, these atoms react with the oxygen in the air to form oxides.

Hydrogen atoms will form water molecules

Carbon atoms will either form carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide

If there is plenty of oxygen then carbon will form carbon dioxide and we call this complete combustion. If there is not enough oxygen then carbon can only form carbon monoxide and we call this incomplete combustion.

Incomplete combustion is particularly dangerous as carbon monoxide is toxic and can cause death.

This is where there is a limited oxygen supply, less than required. So carbon monoxide is produced alongside carbon dioxide and water. So there are three products in the equation compared to two in complete combustion.

In normal or complete combustion with lots of oxygen around ( called excess oxygen) all hydrocarbon fuels burn to give just carbon dioxide and water. However, when there is not enough oxygen around this is called incomplete combustion and either carbon monoxide (C0) or carbon or a mixture of the two are produced. A good example of incomplete combustion is to watch a bunsen burner burning with a sooty ( yellow/orange) flame. To do this you need the air-hole closed. If you put the flame up against a flame proof mat you will see the soot ( carbon) of incomplete combustion quickly starting to form.

when a fuel burn in limited supply of oxygen it will produce carbon monoxide and water

Incomplete combustion is when the oxygen supply for the reaction is limited.

Water is still produced but instead of carbon dioxide, the odourless toxic gas carbon monoxide is produced.