Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Activity 1 1/18/11 Burning Candle observations

What is burning? Show the chemical formula and an image of the structure.
            The wax of the candle is burning and the wick is burning at a much slower time frame then wax.



  The flames are caused as a result of a fuel undergoing combustion; which is burning.
The fuel from the lighter combines with oxygen which forms the flame in which lights the candle wick. When you light the wick, you are providing a heat source and oxygen from the air. The smoke formed contains carbon dioxide and water and also some soot from the inefficient combustion.

Write the chemical reaction.  C25H52 + O2 → CO2 + H2O 
                                                                               

Write the balanced chemical reaction.   C25H52 + 38 O2 → 25 CO2 + 26 H2O
                A balanced chemical reaction is keeping track of carbon atoms- when burning wax, we are not burning away the carbon atoms.











Butane: C4H10   +    O2          --->    H2O   +  CO2
                        C4H10   +   7 O2          --->   6 H2O   + 4 CO2
2C4H10   +   13 O2          --->   10 H2O   + 8 CO2   - two butane molecules
                                Oxygen: 10                     16oxygen             26 oxygen


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