Final answer:
The term describing the ability of a substance to support combustion is 'combustibility'. This chemical property is crucial for substances used as fuels, and the heat released during combustion can be measured with a bomb calorimeter.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term used to describe the ability of a substance to support combustion is combustibility. Combustibility is a chemical property indicating whether a substance can undergo a reaction with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide, water, heat, and sometimes flame. The classic example of a combustion reaction is the burning of methane in a kitchen stove, represented by the chemical equation: CH4 + 2 O2 → CO2 + 2 H2O + Heat. This is an exothermic reaction, which means it releases heat, and this heat can be measured using a bomb calorimeter. Combustion reactions are vital for many everyday activities, such as cooking and heating, and the substances that are combustible, like methane, propane, and gasoline, are commonly used as fuels. The enthalpy of combustion, or the amount of heat released during combustion, is a critical characteristic for fuels.