Final answer:
To balance the combustion reaction of octane (C₈H₁₈), the equation is arranged as C₈H₁₈ + 12.5O₂ → 8CO₂ + 9H₂O. This shows the necessary proportions of reactants and products in the reaction.
Step-by-step explanation:
Combustion Reaction of C₈H₁₈
The combustion of hydrocarbons is a type of chemical reaction where a hydrocarbon reacts with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide and water alongside the release of energy.
To balance the combustion reaction for the hydrocarbon fuel with the formula C₈H₁₈, also known as octane, we follow a series of steps:
Write the unbalanced chemical equation: C₈H₁₈ +O₂ →CO₂ +H₂O.
Start by balancing Carbon (C) atoms. Since there are 8 Carbon atoms in octane, you'll need 8 CO₂ molecules on the products side to balance it. C₈H₁₈ + O₂ → 8CO₂ + H₂O
Next, balance Hydrogen (H) atoms. There are 18 Hydrogen atoms in octane, so you'll need 9 H₂O molecules to balance them. C₈H₁₈ + O₂ → 8CO₂ + 9H₂O
Finally, balance Oxygen (O) atoms. There are 8 * 2 = 16 Oxygens from CO₂ and 9 * 1 = 9 Oxygens from H₂O, which totals 25 Oxygens. Oxygen comes as O₂, so we need 12.5 O₂ molecules to get 25 Oxygens. C₈H₁₈ + 12.5O₂ → 8CO₂ + 9H₂O
The balanced combustion reaction equation of octane is: C₈H₁₈ + 12.5O₂ → 8CO₂ + 9H₂O
Question: In a fiery demonstration of chemical reactions, a hydrocarbon fuel with the formula C₈H₁₈ undergoes combustion in the presence of oxygen. In order to fully appreciate the molecular dance of combustion balance the combustion reaction in order to answer the question?
C₈H₁₈ +O₂ →CO₂ +H₂O