LESSON 02: FUELS AND ENERGY

Unit 02: The Application of Stoichiometry in Combustion Reactions

Introduction:

When people travel through their vehicles, they fill their engines in with an appropriate amount of
fuel to keep their cars running until they reach their desired destinations. The relationship between
the amount of fuel needed to release a specific amount of energy is explored under
thermochemistry. However, before going to the said topic it is important to have a review on the
application of stoichiometry in combustion reactions first. Combustion reactions are means of
releasing energy from fuels and stoichiometry is the tool that shows the quantitative relationships
among fuels and their products.

Lesson Objectives:

After successful completion of this lesson, the students are expected to:

1) Distinguish combustion reactions from other types of chemical reactions.

2) Write combustion reactions properly.
3) Demonstrate the ability to solve problems involving the application of stoichiometry in
combustion reactions.

Course Materials:

A combustion reaction involves the reaction of a material with oxygen to produce oxides of all
other elements as products releasing energy in the form of heat during the process. It is commonly
known as “burning” and it generally goes with the general equation:

𝑓𝑢𝑒𝑙 + 𝑂2 → 𝐶𝑂2 + 𝐻2 𝑂

Fuels are usually made up of elements that readily reacts with oxygens such as carbon and
hydrogen. Examples of which are butane propane (C3H8) and butane (C4H10), the main
components of Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG).

The combustion reactions are:

𝐶3 𝐻8 + 5𝑂2 → 3𝐶𝑂2 + 4𝐻2 𝑂

2𝐶4 𝐻10 + 13𝑂2 → 8𝐶𝑂2 + 10𝐻2 𝑂

Notice that the coefficients of the balanced combustion reactions differ from one reaction to
another as a consequence of the Law of the Conservation of Mass which states that matter can
neither be created nor destroyed.

Reactants Elements Products Reactants Elements Products

(C3H8, O2) (CO2, H2O) (C4H10, O2) (CO2, H2O)
1x3=3 C 3x1=3 2x4=8 C 8x1=8
5 x 2 = 10 O (3 x 2) + (4 x 1) = 10 13 x 2 = 26 O (8 x 2) + (10 x 1) = 26
1x8=8 H 4x2=8 2 x 10 = 20 H 10 x 2 = 20
The tabulated number of elements show that the number of atoms participating in the reaction is
the same as the number of atoms that are present in the product as a result of the process.

From the coefficients of the balanced chemical reaction, one can determine the specific amount
of product that is produced from a specific amount of fuel consumed through stoichiometry.
Stoichiometry therefore gives us the quantitative relationships among reactants and products in
a given chemical reaction.

Take propane for instance. From the balanced chemical reaction, one can say that there are 3
moles of carbon dioxide and 4 moles of water that are produced when one mole of propane burns
completely.

Since the number of moles is related to the mass of the substance, the balanced chemical
reactions can also give us an idea on the mass of carbon dioxide and mass of water that is
produced in every mole of propane.

𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 = (𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑠) 𝑥 (𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑟 𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡)

44 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑚𝑠 𝐶3 𝐻8
𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝐶3 𝐻8 = 1 𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝐶3 𝐻8 𝑥 = 44 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑚𝑠
1 𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝐶3 𝐻8

44 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑚𝑠 𝐶𝑂2
𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝐶𝑂2 = 3 𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝐶𝑂2 𝑥 = 132 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑚𝑠
1 𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝐶𝑂2

18 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑚𝑠 𝑂2
𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝐻2 𝑂 = 4 𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝐻2 𝑂 𝑥 = 72 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑚𝑠
1 𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝐻2 𝑂

With these, we can say that 132 grams of carbon dioxide and 52 grams of water are produced
from the complete combustion of 44 grams of propane.

Sample Problem 01:

What mass of carbon dioxide is produced when 105 grams of methane, CH4 burns completely in
air?

Given: 105 grams of methane undergoing complete combustion

Required: mass of carbon dioxide produced

Solution:

𝐶𝐻4 + 2𝑂2 → 𝐶𝑂2 + 2𝐻2 𝑂

𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝐶𝑂2
= 𝑔𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑛 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝐶𝐻4 𝑥 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑎𝑟 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝐶𝐻4 𝑥 𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑖𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑐 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜 𝑜𝑓 𝐶𝐻4 : 𝐶𝑂2 𝑥 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑎𝑟 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝐶𝑂2

1 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒 𝐶𝐻4 1 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒 𝐶𝑂2 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝐶𝑂2

𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝐶𝑂2 = 𝑔𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑛 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝐶𝐻4 𝑥 𝑥 𝑥
𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝐶𝐻4 1 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒 𝐶𝐻4 1 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒 𝐶𝑂2
 1 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒 𝐶𝐻4 1 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒 𝐶𝑂2 44 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑚𝑠 𝐶𝑂2
𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝐶𝑂2 = 105 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑚𝑠 𝑥 𝑥 𝑥 = 289 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑚𝑠
16 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑚𝑠 𝐶𝐻4 1 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒 𝐶𝐻4 1 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒 𝐶𝑂2

Answer: The mass of CO2 produced is 289 grams.

Sample Problem 02:

How many grams of ethanol (C2H5OH) is needed to produce 150 grams of water when it is
subjected to complete combustion?

Given: 150 grams of water produced

Required: mass of ethanol needed

Solution:

𝐶2 𝐻5 𝑂𝐻 + 3𝑂2 → 2𝐶𝑂2 + 3𝐻2 𝑂

𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝐶2 𝐻5 𝑂𝐻
= 𝑔𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑛 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝐻2 𝑂 𝑥 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑎𝑟 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝐻2 𝑂 𝑥 𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑖𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑐 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜 𝐶2 𝐻5 𝑂𝐻: 𝐻2 𝑂 𝑥 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑎𝑟 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝐶2 𝐻5 𝑂𝐻

1 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒 𝐻2 𝑂 3 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒 𝐶2 𝐻5 𝑂𝐻 18 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑚𝑠 𝐶2 𝐻5 𝑂𝐻

mass 𝐶2 𝐻5 𝑂𝐻 = 𝑔𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑛 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝐻2 𝑂 𝑥 𝑥 𝑥
18 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑚𝑠 𝐻2 𝑂 1 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒 𝐻2 𝑂 1 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒 𝐶2 𝐻5 𝑂𝐻
= 128 𝑔

Answer: The mass of ethanol needed is 1289 grams.

Sample Problem 03:

How many moles of carbon dioxide is produced if 10 grams of butane (CH4H10) burns with 10
grams of oxygen?

Given: 10 grams of butane and 10 grams of oxygen undergoing combustion

Required: mass of carbon dioxide produced

Solution:
2𝐶4 𝐻10 + 13𝑂2 → 8𝐶𝑂2 + 10𝐻2 𝑂

Assume butane as the limiting reactant:

1 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒 𝐶4 𝐻10 8 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒 𝐶𝑂2

mole 𝐶𝑂2 = 10 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑚𝑠 𝐶4 𝐻10 𝑥 𝑥 = 0.69 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒
58 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑚𝑠 𝐶4 𝐻10 2 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒 𝐶4 𝐻10

Assume oxygen as the limiting reactant:

 1 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒 𝑂2 8 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒 𝐶𝑂2
𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒 𝐶𝑂2 = 10 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑚𝑠 𝑂2 𝑥 𝑥 = 0.20 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒
32 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑚𝑠 𝑂2 13 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒 𝑂2

Answer: Since the limiting reactant is oxygen, the amount of carbon dioxide produced is 0.20
mole.

Sample Problem 04:

Calculate for the mass (in grams) of carbon dioxide that is produced when a butane gas contained
in a 20-liter container at 5 atm and 25C, burned completely with excess oxygen.

Given: butane gas, V = 20 L, P = 1 atm, T = 25C undergoing complete combustion

Required: mass of carbon dioxide produced

Solution:
2𝐶4 𝐻10 + 13𝑂2 → 8𝐶𝑂2 + 10𝐻2 𝑂

On the assumption that the butane is an ideal gas,

𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒, 𝑃 𝑥 𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒, 𝑉
𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑠, 𝑛 =
𝑈𝑛𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑎𝑙 𝐺𝑎𝑠 𝐶𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡, 𝑅 𝑥 𝑇𝑒𝑚𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑎𝑢𝑟𝑒, 𝑇

(5 𝑎𝑡𝑚)(20 𝐿)
𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑏𝑢𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑒 =
0.08205 𝐿 − 𝑎𝑡𝑚
( ) (25℃ + 273.15)𝐾
𝑚𝑜𝑙 − 𝐾

𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑏𝑢𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑒 = 4 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑠

To solve for the amount of carbon dioxide, apply the concept of stoichiometry,

8 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝐶𝑂2 44 𝑔 𝐶𝑂2

𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝐶𝑂2 = 4 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝐶4 𝐻10 𝑥 𝑥 = 704 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑚𝑠
2 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝐶4 𝐻10 1 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒 𝐶𝑂2

Answer: The amount of carbon dioxide produced is 705 grams.

Activities and Assessments:

1.) Distinguish which among the following chemical reactions is (are) combustion reaction(s):

a) 2𝐻2 + 𝑂2 → 2𝐻2 𝑂
b) 2𝑁𝑎𝐻𝐶𝑂3 → 𝑁𝑎2 𝐶𝑂3 + 𝐶𝑂2 + 𝐻2 𝑂
c) 2𝐶12 𝐻26 + 37𝑂2 → 24 𝐶𝑂2 + 26 𝐻2 𝑂
d) 𝐶3 𝐻6 𝑂 + 4𝑂2 → 3𝐶𝑂2 + 3𝐻2 𝑂
2.) During combustion, if nitrogen is present in the original fuel, it is converted to N 2, not to a
nitrogen-oxygen compound. Write the balanced combustion equation of the fuel
dinitroethylene, whose formula is C2H2N2O4.

3.) 100 grams of water was produced from the complete combustion of naphthalene (C10H8).
Calculate for the initial volume of the fuel in liters. Assume that it is stored in a container
under a pressure of 1 atm and a temperature of 25C.