Final answer:
To balance the equation C2H6 + O2 → CO2 + H2O, integer-only coefficients are used, resulting in the balanced equation: 2 C2H6 + 7 O2 → 4 CO2 + 6 H2O.
Step-by-step explanation:
The task of balancing the chemical equation C2H6 + O2 → CO2 + H2O involves ensuring that the same number of each type of atom appears on both sides of the equation. After assigning coefficients to balance the carbon and hydrogen atoms, we determine a fractional coefficient for the oxygen molecules to achieve an even number of oxygen atoms.
To reveal a balanced equation with integer-only coefficients, we multiply each term by 2:
2 C2H6 + 7 O2 → 4 CO2 + 6 H2O
This results in the balanced equation with 4 carbon atoms, 12 hydrogen atoms, and 14 oxygen atoms on both sides of the reaction, maintaining the law of conservation of mass.