Question

Balance the combustion reaction between butane and oxygen. 2C4H10 + O2 → CO2 + H2O

Answer 1

Answer:

Balanced equation:

2C4H10 + 8O2 → 8CO2 + 10H2O

Description:

There should be 8 molecules of oxygen which react with 2 molecules of butane to produce 8 molecules of carbon dioxide and 10 molecules of water.

Answer 2

Answer:

Explanation:

Answer:

2C4H10 + 13O2 → 8CO2 + 10H2O

Explanation:

2C4H10 + O2 → CO2 + H2O

There are 8 carbon atoms on the left side of the equation thus , there should be equal number of carbon atoms on the right side

So, if we balance carbon atoms only, the new eqation becomes

2C4H10 + O2 → 8CO2 + H2O

Now carbon atoms are balance but there are 20 , hydrogen atoms on the left side but 2 atoms only on the right side. So the new equation after balancing hydrogen atom becomes

2C4H10 + O2 → 8CO2 + 10H2O

Now both carbon and hydrogen atoms are balanced but oxygen atoms are pending. There are 26 atoms of (O) on the right side , while 1 molecule of (O2)

So the balanced equation would be  

2C4H10 + 13O2 → 8CO2 + 10H2O