... this is because the temperature of the alcohol gets so high that the liquid starts to evaporate. When this occurs you get a white smoke, this is the alcohol evaporating. Combustion is when a substance is burnt in air and the reaction is completed fully. This experiment is an exothermic reaction. An exothermic reaction is when a reaction has more energy than is needed to break and form bonds; therefore it gives out heat energy. A diagram of an exothermic reaction looks like this: In any reaction bonds are made and broken, this is because a reaction will only occur if bonds are broken and new bonds are created, in our experiment the alcohol is reacted with air. If a reaction will not happen on its own we need to do something to help the reaction. In my experiment I am burning the alcohol in air. The alcohols do not ...

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