Final answer:
The chemical equation 2C₂H₆ + 7O₂ = 4CO₂ + 6H₂O demonstrates the balanced reaction between ethane and oxygen to form carbon dioxide and water, adhering to the law of conservation of mass.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question pertains to the balancing of a chemical equation where ethane (C₂H₆) reacts with oxygen (O₂) to produce carbon dioxide (CO₂) and water (H₂O). The balanced chemical equation is 2C₂H₆ + 7O₂ = 4CO₂ + 6H₂O. This signifies that when two moles of ethane react with seven moles of oxygen, they yield four moles of carbon dioxide and six moles of water. Balancing a chemical equation ensures that the number of atoms for each element is equal on both sides, following the law of conservation of mass.
To achieve a balanced equation, one might start by matching the number of carbon and hydrogen atoms in the products to those in the reactants. Once the carbons and hydrogens are balanced, oxygen atoms are then counted and balanced accordingly. In this case, two molecules of ethane and seven molecules of oxygen result in four molecules of carbon dioxide and six molecules of water without any need for fractional coefficients, which are sometimes used when the balancing results in an odd number of oxygen atoms.