How do you write a balanced chemical equation for the combustion of C2H2?

1 Answer
anor277
Jan 24, 2017

Complete combustion of hydrocarbons ALWAYS results in the formation of carbon dioxide and water:

Hydrocarbon + dioxygen → carbon dioxide + water

Explanation:

And when we combust a hydrocarbon, to represent the equation, typically we would balance the carbons, and then the hydrogens, and then the oxygens......so..........

C2H2→2CO2, carbons are balanced;

HC≡CH→2CO2+H2O, hydrogens are balanced;

And now balance the equation with respect to oxygens;

HC≡CH(g)+32O2(g)→2CO2(g)+H2O(g)

If you like, you can double the entire equation to get rid of the half-integral coefficient. The arithmetic is generally easier if you use it in the given form. The use of half-integral coefficients for binuclear molecules has long precedent.

Can you likewise represent complete combustion of ethylene, H2C=CH2; what about ethane, H3C−CH3? How does energy transfer in these combustion equations?

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