The balanced equation for combustion methanol CH3OH in oxygen is?
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The balanced equation for the combustion of methanol (CH₃OH) in oxygen (O₂) is:
2 CH₃OH + 3 O₂ → 2 CO₂ + 4 H₂O
Explanation:
The combustion of methanol is a chemical reaction where methanol (CH₃OH) reacts with oxygen (O₂) to produce carbon dioxide (CO₂) and water (H₂O). Combustion reactions are typically exothermic, releasing energy in the form of heat and light. This particular combustion reaction is complete, meaning it produces only carbon dioxide and water as products, with no toxic intermediates like carbon monoxide.
To balance the equation, follow these steps:
- Write the unbalanced equation:
CH₃OH + O₂ → CO₂ + H₂O - Balance the carbon atoms:
Methanol has one carbon atom, so you need one CO₂ molecule to balance it.
CH₃OH + O₂ → 1 CO₂ + H₂O - Balance the hydrogen atoms:
Methanol has four hydrogen atoms. Since each water molecule (H₂O) has two hydrogen atoms, you need two H₂O molecules to balance the hydrogen atoms.
CH₃OH + O₂ → CO₂ + 2 H₂O - Balance the oxygen atoms:
On the right side, there are 2 oxygen atoms in CO₂ and 2 oxygen atoms in 2 H₂O molecules, totaling 4 oxygen atoms. So, we need 4 oxygen atoms on the left side. Since O₂ provides two oxygen atoms per molecule, you need two O₂ molecules.
CH₃OH + 2 O₂ → CO₂ + 2 H₂O - Balance the methanol molecules:
Now balance the number of CH₃OH molecules. Since you have two oxygen molecules on the left side, you’ll need two CH₃OH molecules on the left to balance the equation.
2 CH₃OH + 3 O₂ → 2 CO₂ + 4 H₂O
Now the equation is balanced with an equal number of atoms for each element on both sides.
