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Below is the symbol equation for the reaction of ethane with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide and water. What number is needed in the blank before O_(2) to balance the equation? 2C_(2)H_(6)+ldots O_(2)arrow 4CO_(2)+6H_(2)O

Question

Below is the symbol equation for the reaction of ethane with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide and
water. What number is needed in the blank before O_(2) to balance the equation?
2C_(2)H_(6)+ldots O_(2)arrow 4CO_(2)+6H_(2)O

Below is the symbol equation for the reaction of ethane with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide and water. What number is needed in the blank before O_(2) to balance the equation? 2C_(2)H_(6)+ldots O_(2)arrow 4CO_(2)+6H_(2)O

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HayleyElite · Tutor for 8 years

Answer

7

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## Step 1:<br />Firstly, recognize the equation provided. The chemical equation describes the combustion of ethane \(\mathrm{C}_{2} \mathrm{H}_{6} \) reacting with oxygen gas \( \mathrm{O}_{2} \) to form carbon dioxide \( \mathrm{CO}_{2} \) and water \( \mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O} \). The question wants to find the number (stoichiometric coefficient) to be written before \( \mathrm{O}_{2} \) to balance the entire chemical equation.<br /><br />## Step 2:<br />The balancing of a chemical equation involves making sure that there is an equal number of atoms for each element on both sides – reactants and products - of the equation. In adhering to this rule, remember to balance the hydrogens and carbons first followed by oxygens in combustion reactions.<br /><br />### \(2 \mathrm{C}_{2} \mathrm{H}_{6}+\square \mathrm{O}_{2} \rightarrow 4 \mathrm{CO}_{2}+6 \mathrm{H}_2\) <br /><br />Start by counting the number of atoms for each element <br /><br />Reactant side: 4 Carbon (C),12 Hydrogen (H), \(2 \times \square \) Oxygen (O) <br /><br />Product side: 4 Carbon (C),12 Hydrogen (H), 16 oxygen (8 from Carbon-di-oxide + 6 from Water )<br /><br />Hydrogen and carbons are indeed balanced. We now move to balance the remaining oxygen molecules on the reactant.<br /><br />## Step 3:<br />Balance the oxygens last by placing a suitable whole number coefficient to fit the quantity at the products. With the calculation, we get,<br /> <br />\(window.sa16\frac{8}{2}) = 7\((2=\frac{total O on products side}{2(coefficient O_{2} )})\), therefore, 7 will replace the \(\square \)
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