Ethane,C₂H₆,is a component of natural gas and is used in home gas ranges. In the balanced equation for this reaction what is the coefficient of water?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The balanced equation for the combustion of ethane is: 
C2H6 + 3.5O2 -> 2CO2 + 3H2O
The coefficient for water is 3, which is less than 4. Therefore, the answer is A) 4 or less. However, we also need to consider the extra half coefficient for oxygen in the equation, which means that the total coefficient for water is 3.5+0.5=4, which is not less than 4. Therefore, the best choice is C) 6, as the coefficient for water is 3 multiplied by 2 (to balance the two molecules of CO2) = 6.

Ethane,C2H6 ,is a Component of Natural Gas and Is Used

Ethane,C₂H₆,is a Component of Natural Gas and Is Used