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I need some help with this guys! Combustion is the burning of a fuel in the pres

ID: 788764 • Letter: I

Question

I need some help with this guys!


Combustion is the burning of a fuel in the presence of an oxidant (typically oxygen) and is a tremendously important reaction in chemical engineering. Find the correct stoichiometric coefficients to balance the following two combustion reactions: What are the conditions that would favor one of these two reactions over the other? Assume that there is plenty of oxygen in a combustion reaction. Can you think of an argument based on the formal charges for why one of these two oxidized carbon molecules is more stable?

Explanation / Answer

B)2C2H6 + 7O2 ---> 4CO2 + 6H2O

2C2H6 + 5O2 -> 4CO + 6H2O

C) Carbon monoxide is a product of incomplete combustion, hence when less oxygen will be available CO will be preffered, while in sufficient oxygen CO2 will be prefffered. Please note that %C is higher in CO than CO2 , which is a clear cut indicator that soothy flames of CO2 will be formed when less oxygen is available.

D) If oxygen is in plenty then first reaction will be preffered.