Unsaturated carbon compounds contain double or triple bonds between carbon atoms, leading to incomplete combustion. This incomplete combustion generates carbon particles, producing a yellow flame and black smoke.
What causes the yellow flame and black smoke associated with unsaturated carbon compounds?
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The yellow flame and black smoke associated with unsaturated carbon compounds, such as alkenes or alkynes, arise from incomplete combustion. Incomplete combustion occurs when there is insufficient oxygen for the hydrocarbon to completely react with. In unsaturated compounds, the presence of double or triple bonds makes them more prone to incomplete combustion compared to saturated hydrocarbons. In such cases, carbon particles (soot) are formed instead of complete combustion products like carbon dioxide and water. The yellow flame results from the incandescence of these carbon particles, and the black smoke consists of carbon particles that are not fully oxidized due to insufficient oxygen.