Question

Balance the equation for the combustion of ethane:
C₂H₆ + O₂ + CO₂ + H₂O

Answer 1

The balanced chemical equation for the combustion of ethane is 2 C2H6(g) + 7 O2(g) → 4 CO2(g) + 6 H2O(l), ensuring stoichiometric balance of atoms.

Step-by-step explanation:

To balance the chemical equation for the combustion of ethane (C2H6), we need to ensure that the number of each type of atom on the reactant side is equal to the number on the product side. The balanced equation is:

2 C2H6(g) + 7 O2(g) → 4 CO2(g) + 6 H2O(l)

Here, two ethane molecules combust with seven diatomic oxygen molecules to form four carbon dioxide molecules and six water molecules.

This stoichiometry ensures that there are equal numbers of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms on both sides of the reaction.