- **Short Answer:**
Burning of natural gas is an exothermic process because it releases heat energy.
**Explanation:**
- **Nature of Exothermic Reactions:**
Exothermic reactions release energy in the form of heat. When natural gas (methane) is burned, it reacts with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide, water, and heat.
- **Chemical Reaction:**
The chemical equation for the combustion of natural gas is:
CH4 + 2O2 -> CO2 + 2H2O + heat
- **Bond Formation:**
During the combustion process, new bonds are formed between carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms. This bond formation releases energy in the form of heat.
- **Energy Balance:**
In an exothermic reaction, the energy released by the formation of new bonds is greater than the energy required to break the existing bonds. This energy difference is released as heat.
- **Applications:**
The heat energy released during the burning of natural gas is utilized for various applications such as cooking, heating homes, generating electricity, and industrial processes.
- **Efficiency:**
Burning natural gas is considered efficient for heating purposes due to its high energy content and the exothermic nature of the combustion process.
- **Environmental Impact:**
While natural gas is a cleaner-burning fossil fuel compared to coal or oil, the combustion process still produces carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming. Efforts are being made to minimize the environmental impact of burning natural gas through technologies like carbon capture and storage.