Final answer:
The reaction is a combustion reaction, where hydrogen gas reacts with oxygen, releasing energy as heat. Carbon dioxide is not a product of hydrogen combustion; only water and heat are produced.
Step-by-step explanation:
The chemical reaction described is a combustion reaction. In this type of reaction, a substance reacts with oxygen gas (O₂), releasing energy in the form of light and heat. Since hydrogen gas (H₂) is reacting with oxygen gas to produce water (H₂O) and heat, this fits the definition of a combustion process.
It is important to note that there seems to be an error in the statement provided by the student; hydrogen gas and oxygen gas do not form carbon dioxide (CO₂) in a reaction, they form water (H₂O). Thus, the correct products of this reaction would solely be water and heat, not carbon dioxide.
Combustion reactions are exothermic, which means that they release energy. They commonly involve carbon and hydrogen reacting with oxygen, but even elements like hydrogen on its own can combust. The general equation for the combustion of hydrogen gas is:
2H₂ (g) + O₂ (g) → 2H₂O(g) + Heat