Final answer:
Using the balanced chemical equation for the combustion of ethane, 2 moles of ethane produce 6 moles of water. To find the moles of ethane needed for 293 moles of water, we multiply 293 by the mole ratio of ethane to water (2/6), resulting in 97.67 moles of ethane.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine how many moles of ethane it takes to produce 293 moles of water, we must examine the balanced chemical equation for the combustion of ethane:
2 C2H6 (g) + 7 O2 (g) → 4 CO2 (g) + 6 H2O (g)
This equation shows that for every 2 moles of ethane combusted, 6 moles of water are produced. Using the mole ratio obtained from the balanced equation, we can calculate the moles of ethane required to produce 293 moles of water:
Number of moles of ethane = (293 moles of H2O) × (2 moles of C2H6 / 6 moles of H2O) = 97.67 moles of C2H6
Combustion of ethane produces water in a specific mole ratio, which can be used in stoichiometric calculations to find the moles of ethane required for a certain amount of water.