Final answer:
The balanced equation for the complete combustion of methane is CH4 + 2O2 → CO2 + 2H2O, showing that for every one molecule of methane, two molecules of oxygen, one molecule of carbon dioxide, and two molecules of water are involved.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the coefficients needed to balance the equation for the complete combustion of methane, it's important to start with the unbalanced equation and then apply the conservation of mass principle to ensure that the number of atoms for each element is the same on both sides of the equation.
The complete combustion of methane (CH4) can be represented by the following unbalanced chemical equation:
CH4 + O2 → CO2 + H2O
Through the process of balancing, we determine that the balanced chemical equation is:
CH4 + 2O2 → CO2 + 2H2O
This means that one molecule of methane reacts with two molecules of oxygen to produce one molecule of carbon dioxide and two molecules of water.