Combustion is the simplest and most basic organic reaction, so simple that it is often overlooked or taken for granted in organic chemistry texts and classes.

Combustion is the breakdown of a compound in combination with oxygen to form carbon dioxide and water. Water and carbon dioxide are both very stable and low-energy, and the atoms that make up these molecules go to form them releasing energy. This energy is heat and light that is the source for campfires and internal combustion engines.