Tip:

These are easy. Remember, some kind of hydrocarbon always reacts with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide and water.

The only part that will be different is the type of hydrocarbon.

The three components that are the same are the reactant: oxygen and the products: carbon dioxide and water.

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Example:

In a combustion reaction, a hydrocarbon (a compound that contains carbon and hydrogen and possibly oxygen) always reacts with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide and water.

Hydrocarbon + O2 ---> CO2 + H2O

C3H8 + 5O2 ---> 3CO2 +4H2O

 

Here is a trick to balance only combustion reactions:

  1. Balance the carbon
  2. Balance the hydrogen
  3. Count the number of oxygen atoms on the right
  4. Take half that number and put in front of oxygen on the left
  5. If you now have a fraction or decimal in front of O2, multiply all coefficients in front of all compounds by 2.