Learning Objectives

• the definition of a fuel, including the distinction between fossil fuels (coal, natural gas, petrol) and biofuels (biogas, bioethanol, biodiesel) with reference to their renewability (ability of a resource to be replaced by natural processes within a relatively short period of time) 

• fuel sources for the body measured in kJ g⁻¹ : carbohydrates, proteins and lipids (fats and oils)

• photosynthesis as the process that converts light energy into chemical energy and as a source of glucose and oxygen for respiration in living things: 6CO₂(g) + 6H₂O(l) → C₆H₁₂O₆(aq)+ 6O₂(g) 

• oxidation of glucose as the primary carbohydrate energy source, including the balanced equation for cellular respiration: C₆H₁₂O₆(aq) + 6O₂(g) → 6CO₂(g) + 6H₂O(l)

• production of bioethanol by the fermentation of glucose and subsequent distillation to produce a more sustainable transport fuel: C₆H₁₂O₆(aq) → 2C₂H₅OH(aq) + 2CO₂(g)

• comparison of exothermic and endothermic reactions, with reference to bond making and bond breaking, including enthalpy changes (∆H) measured in kJ, molar enthalpy changes measured in kJ mol⁻¹ and enthalpy changes for mixtures measured in kJ g⁻¹, and their representations in energy profile diagrams

• determination of limiting reactants or reagents in chemical reactions

• combustion (complete and incomplete) reactions of fuels as exothermic reactions: the writing of balanced thermochemical equations, including states, for the complete and incomplete combustion of organic molecules using experimental data and data tables