Question

What is the balanced equation for the incomplete combustion of heptene, `C_7H_14`?

Answer 1

`C_7H_14(l) + 9O_2(g) rarr 5CO_2(g) + CO(g) + C(s)+ 7H_2O(l)`

Explanation:

Is the given equation stoichiometrically balanced?

And how did I know that 1 mole each of carbon monoxide and carbon (as soot) would result? Of course, I don't KNOW that, but I can nevertheless represent the possibility: i.e. some of the carbon is incompletely combusted. I could also represent the thermodynamic properties of the equation.

Of course complete combustion demands complete carbon oxidation to give:

`C_7H_14(l) + 21/2O_2(g) rarr 7CO_2(g)+ 7H_2O(l)`