What is the coefficient for O₂ when the following combustion reaction of a hydrocarbon is balanced
___ C₇H₁₄ + ___ O₂ $\rarr$ ___ CO₂ + ___ H₂O

Question

What is the coefficient for O₂ when the following combustion reaction of a hydrocarbon is balanced ___ C₇H₁₄ + ___ O₂ $\rarr$ ___ CO₂ + ___ H₂O A) 42 B) 21 C) 11 D) 10 E) none of these

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In the given balanced equation, the coefficient of COS12 and O2 is 10 and 21 respectively, which shows that we need 10 molecules of COS12 and 21 molecules of O2 to react with hydrocarbon. The coefficient of O in the given compound O₂ is 12, which means we need 12/2 = 6 molecules of O2. Therefore, the coefficient of the given compound in the balanced equation would be 6/21 = 2/7. Thus, the coefficient for O₂ is 2/7 x 10 = 20/7 ≈ 2.86, which is closest to 21/7 = 3. So the correct coefficient is 3, and the closest option is B with coefficient 21/3 = 7.

What Is the Coefficient for O2 When the Following Combustion →\rarr→

What Is the Coefficient for O₂ When the Following Combustion $\rarr$