Question

Methanol, or wood alcohol, is the combustible material used in sterno. Write a balanced equation for the complete oxidation reaction that occurs when methanol (CH3OH) burns in air. Use the smallest possible integer coefficients.

Answer 1

2CH₃OH + 3O₂ → 2CO₂ + 4H₂O

Step-by-step explanation:

A complete reaction for when any organic compound burns in air, produces only water and carbon dioxide. It does so by reacting with the oxygen gas (O₂) present in air.

In the case of methanol (CH₃OH) combustion, the balanced reaction is:

2CH₃OH + 3O₂ → 2CO₂ + 4H₂O