Sterno, or "canned heat," contains methanol, CH₃OH, and is used for heating containers of food. Which of the following is a balanced equation that represents the combustion reaction that occurs when methanol burns in air?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Methanol (CH3OH) is a compound made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms. When methanol burns in air (which contains oxygen, O2), it reacts with oxygen molecules to produce carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O). The balanced chemical equation for this combustion reaction is:
2CH3OH(l) + 3O2(g) → 2CO2(g) + 4H2O(g)
This reaction can be simplified to:
CH3OH(l) + 1.5O2(g) → CO2(g) + 2H2O(g)
However, none of the answer choices match this simplified equation. Only answer choice C has the correct coefficients and products for the combustion of methanol.

Sterno, or "Canned Heat," Contains Methanol, CH3OH, and Is Used

Sterno, or "Canned Heat," Contains Methanol, CH₃OH, and Is Used