2 C18H38 + 55 O2 → 36 CO2 + 38 H2O
Here's how to break it down:
* C18H38: This is the formula for octadecane, a type of alkane.
* O2: This is the formula for oxygen, which is present in the air.
* CO2: This is the formula for carbon dioxide, a product of combustion.
* H2O: This is the formula for water, another product of combustion.
Balancing the equation:
* Carbon (C): There are 18 carbon atoms on the left side and 36 on the right. We need to multiply the CO2 by 2.
* Hydrogen (H): There are 38 hydrogen atoms on the left side and 38 on the right. The equation is already balanced for hydrogen.
* Oxygen (O): There are 55 oxygen atoms on the right side and 2 on the left. We need to multiply the O2 by 55/2, which simplifies to 27.5. However, we cannot have fractions in a chemical equation. Therefore, we multiply the entire equation by 2 to get whole numbers.
This process leads to the final balanced equation:
2 C18H38 + 55 O2 → 36 CO2 + 38 H2O
