Question

This chemical equation represents the burning of methane, but the equation is incomplete. What is the missing coefficient in both the reactants and the products? CH4 + ____O2 → CO2 + ____H2O

Answer 1

Answer: The missing coefficients are 2 and 2.

Explanation:

The given reaction is a combustion reaction which is defined as the reaction where a hydrocarbon reacts with oxygen gas to produce carbon dioxide gas and water molecule.

Every equation follow law of conservation of mass which states that the total number of individual atoms present on the reactant side is always equal to the total number of individual atoms present on the product side.

For the given chemical equation:

$CH_4+O_2\rightarrow CO_2+H_2O$

On reactant side:

Number of carbon atoms = 1

Number of hydrogen atoms = 4

Number of oxygen atoms = 2

On product side:

Number of carbon atoms = 1

Number of hydrogen atoms = 2

Number of oxygen atoms = 3

As, the number of hydrogen and oxygen atoms are not balanced, therefore we add some coefficients to make them balanced.

Hence, the balanced chemical equation follows:

$CH_4+2O_2\rightarrow CO_2+2H_2O$

Thus, the missing coefficients are 2 and 2.

Answer 2

CH4+(x)O2=CO2 +(Y)H2O
C=1 +H=4 +O=? = C=1 +O=2+? +H=?
H=4>>Y=2
C=1 +H=4 +O=? = C=1 +O=(2+2) +H=4
C=1 +H=4 +O=4 = C=1 +O=4 +H=4
O=4>>X=2
CH4+(2)O2 =CO2 +(2)H2O