Final answer:
The balanced equation for the combustion of hexane is 2 C6H14 + 19 O2 → 12 CO2 + 14 H2O. To fully combust 7.2 moles of hexane, 68.4 moles of O2 are needed.
Step-by-step explanation:
The combustion of hexane (C6H14) is a chemical reaction that is described by a balanced equation. The goal is to balance the equation such that the number of atoms of each element is the same on both sides of the reaction. The balanced equation for the combustion of hexane is:
2 C6H14(g) + 19 O2(g) → 12 CO2(g) + 14 H2O(g)
Now, to calculate the moles of O2 required for the complete combustion of 7.2 moles of C6H14, we use stoichiometry. Based on the balanced equation, we can see that for every 2 moles of C6H14, we require 19 moles of O2. Therefore, for 7.2 moles of C6H14:
(7.2 moles C6H14) × (19 moles O2 / 2 moles C6H14) = 68.4 moles O2
So, 68.4 moles of O2 are required for the complete combustion of 7.2 moles of hexane.