2C 8 H 18 ( g ) + 25O 2 ( g ) ? 16CO 2 ( g ) + 18H 2 O( g ) Recall that you cann

Question

2C8H18(g) + 25O2(g) ? 16CO2(g) + 18H2O(g)

Recall that you cannot infer the reaction pathway from the balanced equation. It must be derived experimentally. Yet upon reading this balanced equation, it appears unlikely that the combustion of octane occurs in a single step. Why?

A catalyst must be present. Combustion of part of the molecule is necessary to increase the reaction temperature. There are many other components in gasoline that affect the reaction rate. It would require the simultaneous collision of 27 molecules.

Explanation / Answer

It would require the simultaneous collision of 27 molecules.

For complete combustion 25 O2's must react with 2 octanes. It is much more likely that single O2's collide with an octane splittling off CO2's and H2O's in steps, than all this happened at the same time.

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