Answer
See explanation
Work Step by Step
Combustion reactions of fossil fuels produce a significant amount of energy because they involve the rapid oxidation of hydrocarbons (fuels containing hydrogen and carbon). During combustion, the bonds between carbon and hydrogen atoms are broken, and new bonds are formed with oxygen atoms from the air. The energy released comes from the difference in energy between the initial reactants (hydrocarbons and oxygen) and the final products (carbon dioxide, water, and other combustion byproducts). Since the carbon-hydrogen bonds in hydrocarbons store a large amount of energy, their combustion liberates a substantial amount of heat energy. This is why fossil fuels are efficient energy sources for various applications.
