Question

You fill two balloons with gas, one with hydrogen and one with carbon dioxide. You hold a match to each balloon. The hydrogen balloon explodes in a small fireball. The carbon dioxide balloon pops where the match burns it, but nothing else happens. How can you explain this?
A. Hydrogen contains chemical energy and carbon dioxide does not.
B. Hydrogen is a reactant and carbon dioxide is a product.
C. The carbon dioxide smothered the match before it could start a fire.
D. The match did not have enough activation energy to light the carbon dioxide.
E. Hydrogen was able to participate in an exergonic reaction and carbon dioxide couldn’t.

Answer 1

Answer:E. Hydrogen was able to participate in an exergonic reaction and carbon dioxide couldn't

Explanation:

An exergonic reaction releases energy to the environment. The combustion of hydrogen contained in the balloon is a chemical reaction. The reaction can take place because hydrogen combines with oxygen in air, that is, the gas is combustible. CO2 does not support combustion, it does not combine with oxygen in air and it is also denser than air, hence does not participate in the exergonic reaction.