Net ionic equation and combustion reactions

Friday in class we examined how the enthalpy of a reaction can be calculated by using the net ionic equation rather than the full equation, with the result being the same in either case. This is because the net ionic equation is describing the chemistry that occurs without all the "fluff" of spectator ions. We also worked through an activity looking at the enthalpy of combustion for a variety of fuels. By critically evaluating the numerical data, we can determine which fuel is the "best" based upon whatever we consider most important (energy content, storage capacity, transportation issues)