Question

What is a fuel? On what parameters do we judge whether the fuel is good or not?

Answer 1

Fuel is a substance which undergoes combustion to produce heat when burnt in oxygen. Combustion happens at a temperature which is higher than the ignition temperature of the fuel. Any combustible substance can act as a fuel.

Whether a fuel is good or not depends on the following parameters:

• Calorific Value: A fuel which gives out a larger amount of heat from from the same mass is a better fuel.
• Environmental Impact: When a substance undergoes combustion, it leads to the formation of a new product along with evolution of heat. If the fuel does not generate a product which harms the environment, the fuel is called eco-freindly and hence, a good fuel.
• Ease of transport: Fuel is the requirement for all households and industries. A good fuel is one that can be easily transported from one area to the other.
• Cost: Since fuel is a very basic requirement in our daily lives, a cheap and ever available fuel will be considered a good fuel.