Final answer:
The balanced equation to show the reaction of ethane with oxygen to form carbon monoxide gas and water vapor is 2 C2H6(g) + 7 O2(g) → 4 CO(g) + 6 H2O(g).
Step-by-step explanation:
The balanced equation to show the reaction of gaseous ethane (C2H6) with gaseous oxygen (O2) to form carbon monoxide (CO) gas and water vapor (H2O) is:
2 C2H6(g) + 7 O2(g) → 4 CO(g) + 6 H2O(g)
In this equation, two molecules of ethane react with seven molecules of oxygen to yield four molecules of carbon monoxide and six molecules of water vapor.