Question

What is fuel? What are the characteristics of a good fuel?

Answer 1

• Fuel is a substance that can burn in the presence of air to give out heat energy.
• Fuels can be solid, liquid, or gas. Wood, petrol, diesel, coal, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), compressed natural gas (CNG), kerosene, charcoal, and coke are some examples of fuels.
• Some fuels give more heat and energy than other fuels. They are considered good fuels.

Characteristics of a Good Fuel
Fuel is considered to be good when it has the following characteristics:
► A good fuel is easy to store and transport.
► It is not expensive.
► It is readily available.

► It neither produces harmful gases on burning nor leaves behind any ash.
► It has a high calorific value, i.e., it should produce a large amount of heat on burning.
► It burns safely and is readily combustible.
► Its ignition temperature is above room temperature.