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Multiple Choice
When a piece of wood is burned in a campfire, which of the following best describes the chemical process that occurs?
A
The wood dissolves in the air, forming a homogeneous mixture.
B
The wood undergoes combustion, producing carbon dioxide and water vapor.
C
The wood is converted entirely into oxygen gas.
D
The wood melts and forms a liquid without any chemical change.
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Verified step by step guidance
1
Step 1: Understand the nature of the process described. Burning wood is a chemical change, not a physical one, so options involving dissolving or melting without chemical change can be ruled out.
Step 2: Recall that combustion is a chemical reaction where a substance reacts with oxygen, typically producing carbon dioxide and water vapor as products when organic materials like wood burn.
Step 3: Recognize that wood is primarily composed of cellulose, a complex carbohydrate, which reacts with oxygen in the air during combustion.
Step 4: Write the general combustion reaction for cellulose (simplified as C₆H₁₀O₅) reacting with oxygen: \(\text{C}_6\text{H}_{10}\text{O}_5 + O_2 \rightarrow CO_2 + H_2O\).
Step 5: Conclude that the correct description is that the wood undergoes combustion, producing carbon dioxide and water vapor, which is a chemical transformation involving breaking and forming of chemical bonds.