Question

(c₃h₈) and butane (c₄h₁₀), which of these two hydrocarbons would produce more molecules of carbon dioxide?

Answer 1

Butane produces more CO₂ molecules during combustion than propane because it has more carbon atoms per molecule. When combusted, butane generates four CO₂ molecules per molecule, while propane generates only three.

Step-by-step explanation:

Between propane (C₃H₈) and butane (C₄H₁₀), butane would produce more molecules of carbon dioxide when combusted. The complete combustion of propane can be represented by the equation:

C₃H₈ + 5O₂ → 3CO₂ + 4H₂O

Here, one mole of propane yields three moles of CO₂. For butane, the equation is:

2C₄H₁₀ + 13O₂ → 8CO₂ + 10H₂O

In this reaction, two moles of butane yield eight moles of CO₂. This means that on a per mole basis, butane produces more carbon dioxide since it has more carbon atoms per molecule than propane. Therefore, during combustion, each molecule of butane generates a higher number of CO₂ molecules compared to propane.

It's also worth noting that the combustion of hydrocarbons like propane and butane is a key source of energy and involves the release of energy.