Final answer:
The chemical equation C5H12 (l) + O2 (g) → H2O (g) + CO2 (g) is balanced by ensuring an equal number of atoms on both sides: C5H12 (l) + 8 O2 (g) → 6 H2O (g) + 5 CO2 (g).
Step-by-step explanation:
To balance the chemical equation C5H12 (l) + O2 (g) → H2O (g) + CO2 (g), one must ensure that the number of atoms for each element is the same on both the reactant and product sides of the equation according to the law of conservation of mass. The correct balanced equation is C5H12 (l) + 8 O2 (g) → 6 H2O (g) + 5 CO2 (g). In this reaction, the reactants are C5H12, which is pentane, and O2, which is oxygen. The products are H2O, water, and CO2, carbon dioxide. Balancing the equation involves changing the coefficients (the numbers in front) of the reactants and products to ensure that the number of atoms of each element is equal on both sides.
Here are the steps:
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Upon balancing, the pentane (C5H12) reacts with oxygen (O2) to produce carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O). The balanced equation shows that there are five carbon atoms, twelve hydrogen atoms, and sixteen oxygen atoms before and after the reaction, ensuring that mass is conserved.