Final answer:
The chemical reaction C2H6 + 5O2 → 3H2O + 2CO2 is a combustion reaction where ethane combusts in oxygen to form carbon dioxide and water with the stoichiometry showing the balanced number of moles for each compound.
Step-by-step explanation:
The given chemical reaction is: C2H6 + 5O2 → 3H2O + 2CO2. This reaction is an example of a combustion reaction, where a hydrocarbon (in this case, ethane, which is C2H6) burns in the presence of oxygen to produce carbon dioxide and water. During the balancing process of the chemical equation, it is important to ensure that the number of atoms of each element is the same on both the reactants and products sides. The balanced stoichiometric equation signifies that 1 mole of ethane reacts with 5 moles of oxygen to produce 2 moles of carbon dioxide and 3 moles of water.
To balance the atomic species, we begin with carbon and hydrogen. After adjusting coefficients for carbon dioxide and water, we're left with an unbalanced number of oxygen atoms, prompting us to adjust the coefficient in front of O2 to achieve balance.