Final answer:
The balanced chemical equation for the combustion of ethane is 2C₂H₆ + 7O₂ → 4CO₂ + 6H₂O. This reflects the stoichiometric relationship between the reactants and products, ensuring that the number of atoms for each element is conserved.
Step-by-step explanation:
The balanced form of the equation C₂H₆ + O₂ → CO₂ + H₂O is 2C₂H₆ + 7O₂ → 4CO₂ + 6H₂O. This represents a typical combustion reaction where ethane (C₂H₆) reacts with oxygen (O₂) to produce carbon dioxide (CO₂) and water (H₂O).
When balancing the equation, you need to ensure that the number of atoms of each element is the same on both sides. Here's how it works: you have two carbon atoms in ethane, so you need two carbon dioxide molecules to balance the carbon atoms. Since ethane has six hydrogen atoms, you'll need three water molecules to balance the hydrogen. To balance the oxygen atoms, you'll require seven oxygen molecules, as there are a total of 14 oxygen atoms required on the product side.
This process of balancing the equation involves adjusting coefficients to get equal numbers of each type of atom on both sides. In the balanced equation, we indicate the number of molecules and the number of moles present using these coefficients. For example, 2 moles of C₂H₆ react with 7 moles of O₂ to produce 4 moles of CO₂ and 6 moles of H₂O.