Calorific Value(Heat of combustion)

Main Idea

The Calorific Value of a sample, also known as its Heat of Combustion, is defined as the amount of heat released during the combustion. For combustion to occur, a hydrocarbon is typically put into contact with oxygen and supplied the necessary activation energy. Once the reaction occurs, carbon dioxide, water, and heat are the products. This heat is usually enough to continue the reaction, allowing a flammable substance to burn until there is none left.

The Heat of Combustion is typically measured in a bomb calorimeter. This device measures the temperature change. From this, the Heat of Combustion can be computed.