Question #d7b6d

1 Answer
Simon Moore
Jul 18, 2016

2-methyl propanol is also known as "Isobutane". Combustion is simply reaction with molecular oxygen as a fuel:

#C_4H_10O# + #6O_2# --> #4CO_2# + #5H_2O#

Explanation:

The formulation is #(CH_3)_2CHCH_2OH# or in simple terms #C_4H_10O#

Combustion is just a complete reaction with oxygen fuel (e.g. #O_2#), so the reaction products will be carbon dioxide and water. You just need to make sure the total count of C, H and O atoms is the same on both sides of the equation so that it is balanced.

For a start, isobutanol contains 10 hydrogen atoms, which means that each mole yields 5 moles of water (because each water molecule contains 2 hydrogen atoms).

Then isobutanol contains 4 carbon atoms, so each mole yields 4 moles of carbon dioxide.

So if you add the relevant numbers of moles to the water and carbon dioxide, you will find that you then have a total of 13 oxygens on the "Products" side of the equation (8 in carbon dioxide and 5 in water), but only 3 on the "Reactants" side.

To balance out everything add a "6" to the oxygen giving you a total of 13 oxygens on each side.

Done!

#C_4H_10O# + #6O_2# --> #4CO_2# + #5H_2O#

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