How many carbon dioxide and water molecules will be there in the product side, if the following equation is made balanced?
C₂H₅OH + O₂ → CO₂ + H₂O

Question

How many carbon dioxide and water molecules will be there in the product side, if the following equation is made balanced? 
 C₂H₅OH + O₂ → CO₂ + H₂O

Accepted Answer

Step 1: Recognize the reactant as ethanol: $C_2H_5OH + O_2 	o CO_2 + H_2O$.

Step 2: Balance carbon. Ethanol has 2 C, so produce 2 $CO_2$.

Step 3: Balance hydrogen. Ethanol has 6 H, so produce 3 $H_2O$ (since each water has 2 H).

Step 4: Balance oxygen. Right side oxygen atoms = from $2\,CO_2$ is $2	imes2=4$ and from $3\,H_2O$ is $3	imes1=3$, total $7$. Ethanol contributes 1 O, so $1 + 2x = 7$ where $x$ is the number of $O_2$ molecules. Solve: $2x=6\Rightarrow x=3$.

Step 5: Balanced equation: $C_2H_5OH + 3O_2 	o 2CO_2 + 3H_2O$. Thus there are 2 $CO_2$ and 3 $H_2O$ molecules in the products, which is option (3).

FINAL_ANSWER: c

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