What else is produced during the combustion of propane, [tex]C_3H_8[/tex]?

[tex]\[ C_3H_8 + 5O_2 \rightarrow 3CO_2 + 4H_2O \][/tex]

A. [tex]C_3H_8[/tex]
B. [tex]O_2[/tex]
C. [tex]H_2O[/tex]
D. [tex]C_3H_8O_2[/tex]



Answer :

Alright, let’s go through the combustion reaction of propane step-by-step to determine the products of the reaction.

1. Write the chemical formula for propane combustion:
Propane, with the chemical formula [tex]\( \mathrm{C_3H_8} \)[/tex], reacts with oxygen ([tex]\(\text{O}_2\)[/tex]) when it combusts.

2. Recognize the General Form of Combustion Reactions:
The general form of a combustion reaction of a hydrocarbon is:
[tex]\[ \text{Hydrocarbon} + \text{O}_2 \rightarrow \text{CO}_2 + \text{H}_2\text{O} \][/tex]

3. Write the Unbalanced Combustion Equation:
For propane (C₃H₈), the unbalanced reaction is:
[tex]\[\text{C}_3\text{H}_8 + \text{O}_2 \rightarrow \text{CO}_2 + \text{H}_2\text{O}\][/tex]

4. Balance the Combustion Equation:
To balance the equation, we need to ensure that the number of atoms of each element on the reactant side equals the number on the product side.
- Carbon Atoms: [tex]\( \mathrm{C}_3\text{H}_8 \rightarrow 3 \mathrm{CO}_2 \)[/tex]
- Hydrogen Atoms: [tex]\( \mathrm{C}_3\text{H}_8 \rightarrow 4 \mathrm{H}_2\text{O} \)[/tex]
- Oxygen Atoms: Balance the oxygen atoms from [tex]\(\text{O}_2\)[/tex] as:
[tex]\[ \mathrm{C}_3\mathrm{H}_8 + 5 \mathrm{O}_2 \rightarrow 3 \mathrm{CO}_2 + 4 \mathrm{H}_2\text{O} \][/tex]

5. Identify the Products of Combustion:
From the balanced equation:
[tex]\[ \mathrm{C}_3\mathrm{H}_8 + 5 \mathrm{O}_2 \rightarrow 3 \mathrm{CO}_2 + 4 \mathrm{H}_2\mathrm{O} \][/tex]

- The products of the combustion of propane are carbon dioxide (CO₂) and water (H₂O).

Thus, during the combustion of propane ([tex]\( \mathrm{C_3H_8} \)[/tex]), the other products formed are carbon dioxide (CO₂) and water (H₂O).