how does oxygen help a fire burn?

Question

I'm asking for the chemical properties of O2 that makes a fire more favorable... is it something about O2 releasing energy and forming CO2?

Answer 1

Oxygen is required to make fire...

Fire is burning, which is combustion, and combustion is a type of oxidation reaction. Oxidation means combined chemically with oxygen . Oxidation is an exothermic reaction, meaning it gives releases heat energy.

The chemical equations for the oxidation of carbon and hydrogen are:

C+O2 -->CO2 (This reaction occurs when there is enough oxygen for the formation of carbon dioxide.)

2C+O2--> (This reaction occurs when there is only enough oxygen for the formation of carbon monoxide.)

2H2 +O2--> 2H2O

These reactions release the energy you feel as heat and light.

What is fire?
Answer : Fire is heat and light from rapid combination of oxygen and other materials. The flame, which gives the light, is composed of glowing particles of burning material and luminous gases. For fire to exist, a combustible substance must be present, the temperature must be high enough to cause combustion, and enough oxygen must be present to sustain rapid combustion.

Answer 2

Fire And Oxygen

Answer 3

It always amazes me how complicated people can make such a simple thing.

Alright here it is in a nutshell. Fire is identical in behavior to rust. However, fire is a quicker process. What your eyes see as fire is just a release of light in the visible spectrum. What your skin feels as heat is a release of infrared radiation. Both of these wavelengths are released when oxygen reacts with any compound. However, some compounds react faster with oxygen than others. Therefore the energy is released at different rates. For example, iron rusts over a period of months, but sodium metal rusts instantly in air. Now in addition to this, some reactions require activation energy... like a spark or a flame. This source is called an ignition source.

Now in short... A flame provides the energy to start a reaction with oxygen. When the reaction happens, energy is released in the visible light spectrum and the infrared spectrum. This provides the light and heat you feel. The faster the reaction, the more light and heat you feel... likewise, the slower the reaction, the less light and heat you feel.

Answer 4

You might have heard fire referred to as an animal, and a mean one at that. Just like an animal a fire needs to breathe oxygen. Just like animals fire eats and digests but not the same way. Fire uses oxygen the same way animal cells do to help process its food, in fire's case flammable materials, it assists in the conversion of matter (fuel) to energy (heat). Oxygen is a key factor in the fire triangle: Heat, Fuel, and Oxygen. If you were to take away any one of those sides fire would either never happen or completely stop. That is why most extinguishers are a dry CO2 powder, because CO2 blocks oxygen.

Answer 5

Oxygen And Fire

Answer 6

Combustion(burning) is the combination with oxygen.
CH4 + 2O2 ---> CO2 + 2H2O, burning of methane
The fire triangle says that for a fire you need heat, oxygen and fuel.
Oxygen takes electrons to become O with a -2 charge. It is very reactive.
It oxidizes and is reduced(gains electrons)

Answer 7

i have a question if u dont mind i m a student of college we usually say fire is just due to exothermic reaction of oxygen with other combustible element but this exothermic reaction does not harm the element oxygen itself then why after setting off fire we feel suffocation on place which was on fire ?is oxygen present there in the form of molecule then there should be fire due to exothermic reaction if not then why we feel suffocation?

Answer 8

Yes!