What is the coefficient preceding O₂ when the following combustion reaction of a fatty acid is properly balanced using the smallest set of whole numbers? ________ C₁₈H₃₆O₂ + ________ O₂ → ________ CO₂ + ________ H₂O A) 1 B) 8 C) 9 D) 26 E) 27

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The balanced equation for the combustion of a fatty acid is: CₙH₂nO₂ + (n + 3/2)O₂ → nCO₂ + (n + 1)H₂O In this equation, the coefficient for CₙH₂nO₂ is n, and the coefficient for O₂ is (n + 3/2). Therefore, the coefficient for O₂ in the given equation should be 26 (2 x 13), which is closest to option D.

What Is the Coefficient Preceding O2 When the Following Combustion

What Is the Coefficient Preceding O₂ When the Following Combustion