That modern society is the consumer of a significant amount of energy is readily apparent on the streets of any large city. Automobiles and buses are everywhere. Electric lighting and signs light the way. Everything from air conditioners to computers to airplanes requires energy. And, invariably, this energy comes from some form of chemical fuel. Indeed, better than 90% of the energy we use originates with a chemical fuel.

In essence, a fuel is any compound that has stored energy. This energy is captured in chemical bonds through process such as photosynthesis and respiration. It is released during oxidation. The most common form of oxidation is the direct reaction of a fuel with oxygen through combustion.Wood, gasoline, coal, and any number of other fuels have energy rich chemical bonds created using the energy from the sun which is released when the fuel...