Monitored Reaction

Monitoring and Management‎ > ‎1. Chemists and Reactions‎ > ‎

Describe an example of a chemical reaction such as combustion, where reactants form different products under different conditions and thus would need monitoring

  • The combustion of methane gas can produce different products under different conditions and thus would need monitoring.
  • When enough oxygen is available for complete combustion, carbon dioxide and water are produced:
  • When less oxygen is available, incomplete combustion occurs, producing some carbon monoxide and carbon:

  • The monitoring of the different products of the combustion of methane would be conducted, for example, by an industrial chemist employed by a car company to improve the efficiency of natural gas engines or to ensure than engines meet environmental standards.
  • The chemist would use an oxygen sensor to monitor the nature of the combustion.