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How would you balance the combustion reaction between octane and oxygen: 2C8H18 + O2 → CO2 + H2O?

Answer 1

#C_8H_18 +25/2O_2 rarr 8CO_2 + 9H_2O#

Is the above equation balanced? Don't trust my arithmetic. What would be the physical states of each participant in the reaction? Internal combustion engines rarely combust gas this cleanly, and a lot of #C# particulate, and #CO# gas are given off.

If (say) 1 equiv each of #C# and #CO# were given off by the combustion, how would I balance this reaction?

#C_8H_18 + xO_2 rarr yCO_2 + C + CO +9H_2O#

Would the amount of energy produced be the same?

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Answer 2

Cooper Anderson

To balance the combustion reaction between octane and oxygen:

2C8H18 + 25O2 → 16CO2 + 18H2O

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Answer from HIX Tutor

When evaluating a one-sided limit, you need to be careful when a quantity is approaching zero since its sign is different depending on which way it is approaching zero from. Let us look at some examples.