Difference between combustible substance and a supporter of combustion

[americast]

This is driving me insane:-----

What is the difference between a combustible substance and a supporter of combustion?

Thanx in advance...

 

[Traxfam]

A combustible substance is something that burns a supporter of combustion is an oxidizer like O2.

 

[americast]

A combustible substance is something that burns a supporter of combustion is an oxidizer like O2.

Thanx... I had already got the answer from a chemistry forum. Physics forums was a little too late... :D

 

[chemisttree]

So what did you find? I'm always interested in unimportant chemistry trivia.

 

[americast]

The same thing, the one that oxidises is the combustible substance and the one that gets reduced in the supporter of combustion. I don't think its unimportant. None of my books could explain this simple thing...

 

[NascentOxygen]

An interesting demonstration would be to reverse the normal combustion arrangement.

A thought experiment only...don't try it in real life.

Have a room filled with pure methane or natural gas, and introduce into it a Bunsen burner fed with no gas but just compressed air. Light the Bunsen with an electric spark, and see whether you can boil a beaker of water over this air flame.