Final answer:
The reaction C₂H₆ + 5O₂ → 3H₂O + 2CO₂ is a combustion reaction, which involves a hydrocarbon reacting with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide and water.
Step-by-step explanation:
The chemical equation given is C₂H₆ + 5O₂ → 3H₂O + 2CO₂. This reaction is a type of combustion reaction, where a hydrocarbon (in this case, ethane, C₂H₆) reacts with oxygen (O₂) to produce carbon dioxide (CO₂) and water (H₂O). Here, C₂H₆ and O₂ are the reactants.
Which combine to form CO₂ and H₂O, the products of the reaction. Combustion reactions are exothermic, meaning they release energy in the form of heat and/or light. In the reaction provided, for every one molecule of ethane, five molecules of oxygen are consumed.
The products are three molecules of water and two molecules of carbon dioxide. The reaction is balanced, indicating that the number of atoms for each element is the same on both sides of the equation, which is a fundamental principle in chemistry.