Question

How do we represent the combustion of gasoline?

Answer 1

Well, first you must define `"gasoline...."`

Explanation:

As far as I know, gasoline is composed of isomeric `"octane"`.

And to balance any combustion reaction, garbage in must equal garbage out.

`C_8H_18(l) + 25/2O_2 rarr 8CO_2(g) + 9H_2O(l)`

Is this balanced? We could represent incomplete combustion by the reaction:

`C_8H_18(l) + 11O_2(g) rarr 6CO_2(g) +C(s) +CO(g) + 9H_2O(l)`

Of course, we have to establish the extent of carbon monoxide and particulate carbon by analysis; here some of the carbon is oxidized incompletely.