Burn Carbon to CO2
Observe complete combustion of carbon in oxygen
What this lesson covers
Why it matters
Heat a piece of charcoal until it glows red and watch it vanish into thin air. The solid carbon doesn't disappear; it transforms into an invisible gas.
The idea in plain words
Map the atoms: one carbon atom and one oxygen molecule (two atoms) combine to form one carbon dioxide molecule.
Predict first
The charcoal burns away completely into invisible CO₂. How does the mass of that gas compare with the charcoal you started with?
C + O₂ → CO₂: the carbon combines with oxygen from the air, so the gas produced outweighs the original charcoal. Nothing was lost — something was added.
- Exactly the same — the gas is just the solid in disguise
- Greater — every carbon atom now carries two oxygen atoms with it — correct
- Less — burning always destroys some mass
- Zero — the carbon is gone for good
What you do
Apply heat to the carbon. Observe the red glow and the formation of gas.
Check yourself
What is the correct chemical equation for this reaction?
Carbon reacts with diatomic oxygen (O₂) to form carbon dioxide (CO₂).
What visual observation confirms the reaction is occurring?
The verified observation for carbon burning is a red glow.
Why is heat required to start this reaction?
The reaction conditions specify heat is required to initiate the combustion.
- C + O → CO
- C + O₂ → CO₂ — correct
- C + O₂ → CO + O
- It glows red while burning — correct
- It produces a blue flame
- It turns white
- To provide activation energy to break bonds — correct
- To melt the carbon
- To evaporate the oxygen