Question

question 10 of 10
what atom should be balanced last when balancing hydrocarbon combustion reactions?

a. any of the three

b. the hydrogen atoms

c. the oxygen atoms

d. the carbon atoms

Explanation:

In hydrocarbon combustion reactions (where hydrocarbons react with oxygen to form carbon dioxide and water), the general order of balancing is: first balance carbon atoms (since they are in the hydrocarbon and form \(CO_2\)), then balance hydrogen atoms (in the hydrocarbon and forming \(H_2O\)), and finally balance oxygen atoms. This is because oxygen is involved in both the reactant (\(O_2\)) and products (\(CO_2\) and \(H_2O\)), and balancing it last accounts for the changes from balancing C and H. So oxygen atoms are balanced last.

Answer:

C. The oxygen atoms