Combustion is any exothermic reaction?

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Combustion is defined as an exothermic reaction that involves the oxidation of a substance, typically requiring oxygen. While all combustion reactions are oxidation reactions, not all oxidation reactions qualify as combustion. For instance, rusting of iron is an oxidation process but does not release energy, thus it is not considered combustion. The essential characteristic of combustion is the production of energy through the reaction with oxygen.
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What is combustion - is it any reaction that produces energy? Or is it an exothermic reaction involving oxygen?
 
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Gotta have oxygen.
 
jd12345 said:
What is combustion - is it any reaction that produces energy? Or is it an exothermic reaction involving oxygen?

Always remember : Combustion is an exothermic and oxidation reaction. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combustion

Every combustion is an oxidation reaction but every oxidation is not a combustion.

Example : Rusting of iron is oxidation but not combustion because it is not exothermic.

Combustion reaction always involves oxygen.
 

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