Chemical Equation for the combustion of a Bunsen Burner?

Question

I have the question...
"Write a chemical equation for the combustion of natural gas when the air hole of the bunsen burner is...
A) Closed (assuming only carbon and water are produced)
and B) Open...

For A i got ... CH4 + 2O2 --> CO2 + 2H2O
But I dont know what to do for B...or if i even got A right...so if someone can help me i'd appreciate it

Answer 1

Your answer is the answer for B - Open air hole (oxygen supply adequate)



Chemical properties of methane

1. Combustion : methane burns in air with a blue flame. We have seen earlier that in sufficient amount of oxygen, methane burns to give carbon dioxide and water. In insufficient oxygen it gives out carbon monoxide. Methane produces a good amount of heat when it undergoes combustion. This is the reason why it is used as fuel.



Your answer for A is really the answer for B - OPEN



For A, you might try the explanation that the closed air supply will result in insufficient oxygen and produce carbon monoxide.

2 CH4(g) + 3 O2 (g) ---> 2 CO(g) + 4 H2O (g)



while this sounds nasty, dangerous, in reality I don't know how much carbon monoxide would be produced in the lab... probably even though the air supply is limited, the result would be a worst probably a mixture of Carbon Dioxide and some Carbon Monoxide. The greater impact would be the relatively "cool" flame when insufficient oxygen is present.

Answer 2

The two equations are :- 1. Air hole closed CH4 + O2 --> C + 2 H2O 2. Air hole open CH4 + 2 02 --> CO2 + 2 H2O Opening the air hole supplies twice as much oxygen (by letting in more air of course) although Carbon Monoxide(CO) is also formed. Interestingly the yellow colour in the flame with teh air hole closed is carbon heating up just the same reason why candle flames are yellow.

Answer 3

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the answer you have is the answer for b. it represents a complete combustion of methane. for a, as insufficient oxygen is supplied, the question already specified the formation of only C and H2O. hence the equation should be: CH4+O2 --> C + 2H2O