INTRODUCTION: Chemical Change

Chemical changes are when substances combine to form a new substance which is called synthesis and are usually irreversible. A chemical reaction causes atoms in the substances to rearrange and change their properties or composition therefore resulting in at least one new substance. Chemical reactions can also cause the decomposition of a substance resulting in two or more different substances. There are many manmade and natural chemical changes that happen everyday. Two main natural chemical changes are; combustion e.g; wood burning, and the metabolism in the human body. Two man made chemical changes are; gas bombs which are used in the military, and the rusting or iron (nails).

Combustion is a chemical combination or change resulting in the production of heat and light. Essentially, wood burning is one of the main forms of combustion. When wood is burnt, the carbon in the wood reacts against the oxygen in the air which then creates ash and smoke causing a chemical change. This creates energy in the shape of heat and light. Burning is a non-reversible chemical change, ashes cannot be turned back into wood. Wood is used for a fuel source of heating and in many areas, wood is the most easily available form of fuel.There are many divergent uses of wood burning in everyday life, one of the main is being able to create heat e.g.; in a fireplace for residential heating. Wood is a renewable fuel for both heating and power generation. Burning wood is the largest energy acquired from a solid fuel biomass. In countries like the United States, wood fuel is the second most used form of renewable energy. In other countries, there is an increasing appeal in using wood waste as a fuel for home and industrial heating.

There are many advantag...

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