Chemistry: The Molecular Formula of Fuel and the Combustion of Fuel

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Chemistry is not used only in a lab environment, but it is used for every aspect of life. One way to look into a more in-depth view of chemistry is to apply it to a hobby, or something that may personally affect your everyday life. One of the biggest parts of my life and my main hobby is flying. Ever since I was little, I have always wanted to become a pilot. I am currently working towards my private pilot’s license and I am also attending the U.S. Air Force Academy starting in June to study aeronautical engineering. Since flying is such a large aspect of my life and is important to me, I wanted to break it down into an aspect of chemistry. I chose this topic because flying is very important to me and it will continue to be a large part of my life as it will end up being my career in the Air Force. Not only will researching the topic of aviation fuel help me to become a more knowledgeable pilot, but it will also help me to understand more about chemistry and expand on the concepts we have learned this semester. Chemistry is extremely important to planes and pilots. One of the most obvious aspects of flying that deals directly with chemistry is fuel. Without fuel, aircraft would not be able to run. The molecular formula of fuel and the combustion of fuel are just some parts that play into how fuel makes an aircraft run.
When looking at the fuel used in aviation, there are many aspects to look at. First of all, there are multiple different types of fuel used in aviation because of the different types of aircraft. Comparing the fuels can help explain why different planes use different fuels. Military, civilian, and airline aircraft all use different types of fuel. The different military jet fuel grades include JP-4, JP-8, and JP-5...

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...ine engine on the larger aircraft. The different engines provide different hazards, so they must be compromised with different grades of fuel. The chemical properties of these fuels is what makes them so different. One of the most important aspects in choosing which fuel goes in which time of plane is the type of engine and also the type of climate it will be flying in. This is important because the larger aircraft are flying at higher altitudes which means lower temperatures, so it is necessary to have a fuel with a lower freezing point. Taking a specific subject such as aviation fuel can help you look at the world with a microscopic view. Every day that I fly I have to deal with fuel, learning the chemistry behind the fuel was a great lesson because I was able to use and apply what I have learned in chemistry class to something in which I am very passionate about.

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