How would you write a balanced equation for the combustion of octane, C8H18 with oxygen to obtain carbon dioxide and water?

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How would you write a balanced equation for the combustion of octane, C8H18 with oxygen to obtain carbon dioxide and water?

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Answer 1 · 2015-11-10T02:50:44

$2 C_{8} H_{18} + 25 O_{2} \to 16 C O_{2} + 18 H_{2} O$ $2C_8H_18 + 25O_2 -> 16CO_2 + 18H_2O$

Explanation:

You just have to check the number of atoms of each element is the same in both sides.
You can do it by steps starting with the unbalanced equation

$C_{8} H_{18} + O_{2} \to C O_{2} + H_{2} O$ $C_8H_18 + O_2 -> CO_2 + H_2O$

By making a list of the elements and the number of atoms on each side of the equation

$8 - C - 1$ $8-C-1$
$18 - H - 2$ $18-H-2$
$2 - O - 3$ $2-O-3$

Then as you can see, the molecule with 1 carbon ( $C O_{2}$ $CO_2$ ) you have to multiply by eight, the molecule with 2 hydrogens ( $H_{2} O$ $H_2O$ ) you have to multiply it by 9 to be equal to the left. And when you find that you have to multiply by a fraction then you can multiply the whole equation by an integer so you have only integers.

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How would you write a balanced equation for the combustion of octane, C8H18 with oxygen to obtain carbon dioxide and water?

1 Answer

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