Final answer:
Among the listed liquids, b. C₆H₁₄ (hexane) will likely produce the most heat energy when burned, as it is the largest hydrocarbon and has the most carbon and hydrogen atoms available for combustion. The correct answer is option b. C₆H₁₄.
Step-by-step explanation:
When considering which substance will produce the most heat energy when burned, we look at the enthalpy of combustion for each compound. This represents the amount of heat released when one mole of a substance is combusted in oxygen under standard conditions. Generally, the more carbon and hydrogen atoms present in the molecule, the more energy that can be released upon combustion.
For compounds a. C₅H₁₂, b. C₆H₁₄, c. C₆H₁₀O, d. C₆H₁₂O, and e. C₆H₁₄O, the hydrocarbons (a and b) typically have a higher enthalpy of combustion compared to those with oxygen in their structure (c, d, e) because the oxygen already within the molecule requires less external oxygen for combustion, leading to less overall energy release. Therefore, the substance b. C₆H₁₄, being the largest hydrocarbon with the most carbon and hydrogen atoms, will likely produce the most heat energy when burned.