COMBUSTION REACTIONS IN HUMAN BODY:

What is Exothermic reactions?

An Exothermic reaction is a chemical reaction that involves the release of energy in
the form of heat.

The general equation for an exothermic reaction is: Reactants → Products + Energy.

Example of Exothermic reaction in living organisms:

 Fig 4.1 (Respiration reaction)

What are endothermic reactions?

The general equation for an endothermic reaction is: Reactants + Energy → Products.

Example of Endothermic reaction in living organisms:

Photosynthesis: Plants absorb heat energy from sunlight to convert

carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen.

Fig 4.2 (Photosynthesis reaction)

Now is combustion exothermic or endothermic?
Overall, combustion is an exothermic reaction given off.
which means that energy is released. Usually, heat released during a combustion
reaction.

What is the use of energy released in combustion reaction in humans:

1) Growth
2) Passage of nerve impulses
3) Protein synthesis
4) Cell division
5) Locomotion
6) Maintain constant body temperature

Examples of Combustion Reactions in our Day-to-Day

Lives
 The combustion of LPG fuel in gas stoves for the cooking of food involves a
combustion reaction between the oxygen present in the atmosphere and the
liquefied petroleum gas.
 The engines of cars, bikes, and other fossil-fuel based automobiles source their
power to the combustion reaction between petrol (or diesel) with oxygen.
 The lighting of matchsticks is also based on a combustion reaction. The red
phosphorus at the tip of the matchstick is heated up by striking it on a rough
surface, sparking a combustion reaction between the phosphorus and the
atmospheric oxygen.
 The explosion of fireworks is also a combustion reaction. In these redox
reactions, certain specific ions are incorporated into the fuel to impart a colour to
the flame.

Apart from these basic combustion reactions, many other such reactions are employed in a
wide range of industries. For example, the space industry is known to exploit the combustion
reaction between hydrogen and oxygen for the generation of clean energy in rocket ships.