Chapter 12: Problem 25
Write the balanced chemical equation for the complete combustion of each of the following compounds: a. methanol b. 2 -butanol
Short Answer
Expert verified
The balanced equations are:2 CH鈧僌H + 3 O鈧 鈫 2 CO鈧 + 4 H鈧侽2 C鈧凥鈧佲個O + 13 O鈧 鈫 8 CO鈧 + 10 H鈧侽
Step by step solution
01
Write Unbalanced Equation for Methanol
Start with the unbalanced equation for the combustion of methanol (CH鈧僌H). When methanol burns in the presence of oxygen (O鈧), it produces carbon dioxide (CO鈧) and water (H鈧侽).Unbalanced equation:CH鈧僌H + O鈧 鈫 CO鈧 + H鈧侽
02
Balance Carbon (C) Atoms for Methanol
Count the number of carbon atoms on both sides of the equation. In methanol, there is 1 carbon atom. Therefore, place a coefficient of 1 in front of CO鈧.Balanced with respect to C:CH鈧僌H + O鈧 鈫 1 CO鈧 + H鈧侽
03
Balance Hydrogen (H) Atoms for Methanol
Count the hydrogen atoms. Methanol has 4 hydrogen atoms, while water has 2 hydrogen atoms per molecule. Therefore, place a coefficient of 2 in front of H鈧侽.Balanced with respect to H:CH鈧僌H + O鈧 鈫 CO鈧 + 2 H鈧侽
04
Balance Oxygen (O) Atoms for Methanol
Count the oxygen atoms. On the left, there is 1 O atom in CH鈧僌H and xO atoms in O鈧 (yet to be balanced). On the right, there are 2 O atoms in CO鈧 and 4 O atoms in two H2O molecules (total 6 O). So we need 3 O鈧 molecules to balance the oxygen atoms.Balanced equation:2 CH鈧僌H + 3 O鈧 鈫 2 CO鈧 + 4 H鈧侽
05
Write Unbalanced Equation for 2-Butanol
Write the unbalanced equation for the combustion of 2-butanol (C鈧凥鈧佲個O). The products are CO鈧 and H鈧侽.Unbalanced equation:C鈧凥鈧佲個O + O鈧 鈫 CO鈧 + H鈧侽
06
Balance Carbon (C) Atoms for 2-Butanol
Count the carbon atoms. There are 4 carbon atoms in 2-butanol so, place a coefficient of 4 in front of CO鈧.Balanced with respect to C:C鈧凥鈧佲個O + O鈧 鈫 4 CO鈧 + H鈧侽
07
Balance Hydrogen (H) Atoms for 2-Butanol
Count the hydrogen atoms, which are 10 in 2-butanol. Since each water molecule has 2 hydrogen atoms, place a coefficient of 5 in front of H鈧侽.Balanced with respect to H:C鈧凥鈧佲個O + O鈧 鈫 4 CO鈧 + 5 H鈧侽
08
Balance Oxygen (O) Atoms for 2-Butanol
Count the oxygen atoms. On the right, we have 4 CO鈧 molecules (8 O atoms) and 5 H鈧侽 molecules (5 O atoms), totaling 13 O atoms. On the left, 2-butanol has 1 O atom, so we need 6 more O鈧 molecules to balance (6 x 2 = 12 O atoms).Balanced equation:2 C鈧凥鈧佲個O + 13 O鈧 鈫 8 CO鈧 + 10 H鈧侽
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Balancing Chemical Equations
Balancing chemical equations is a crucial skill in chemistry. It ensures that the same number of atoms of each element are present on both sides of the equation, adhering to the law of conservation of mass. Start with an unbalanced equation and meticulously count the atoms of each element on both sides. Adjust the coefficients (the numbers in front of the molecules) until you have the same number of each atom on both sides.
- First, balance atoms of elements that appear in only one reactant and one product.
- Next, balance atoms of elements that appear in multiple reactants and products.
- Lastly, balance oxygen and hydrogen atoms, as they often appear in multiple compounds.
Combustion Reactions
Combustion reactions are chemical reactions where a substance combines with oxygen to produce heat and light. These reactions usually involve hydrocarbons or organic compounds reacting with oxygen to form carbon dioxide and water. They play a significant role in various applications like engine fuel combustion and energy production.
To identify and balance combustion reactions:
To identify and balance combustion reactions:
- Write the unbalanced equation, showing the reactants and products.
- Balance the carbon atoms first, followed by hydrogen, and finally oxygen atoms.
Organic Compounds
Organic compounds are primarily made of carbon and hydrogen atoms, and often contain elements like oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, and halogens. The backbone of organic compounds is built on carbon chains or rings. Examples include alcohols, alkanes, and carbohydrates.
When dealing with organic compounds in chemical reactions:
When dealing with organic compounds in chemical reactions:
- Recognize functional groups such as -OH (hydroxyl group) in alcohols, which can affect reactivity and properties.
- Understand the structural formula to identify the number and arrangement of atoms.
- Practice writing and balancing combustion reactions of organic compounds.