Pentane gas (C5H12) combusts with oxygen gas (O2) to form water (H2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2).

Write a balanced chemical equation for this reaction and explain the scientific principle (statement) that requires the balancing of an equation to make it conform to reality.

Respuesta :

Hagrid
First we write the reactants and the products in this manner shown below: 

C5H12 + O2 = H20 + CO2 

This equation is not yet balanced so we add coefficients to make the equation balance: 

C5H12 + 8O2 = 6H20 + 5CO2 

The principle of concern here is the Law of Conservation of Mass. 

This law states that for a system that is isolated, the mass is not created nor destroyed. Hence for this system, the amount of CO2 and water created is exactly from the reactants pentane and oxygen.