Question

Write the balanced chemical equation for the heating of ethanol at ${170}^0\mathrm{C}$ in the presence of Conc. Sulphuric acids

Answer 1

• A balanced chemical equation has equal numbers of atoms for each element involved in the reaction and are represented on the reactant and product sides.
• The heating of ethanol $\left({\mathrm{C}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_5\mathrm{OH}\right)$ at 170⁰ C in the presence of concentrated Sulphuric acid $\left({\mathrm{H}}_2{\mathrm{SO}}_4\right)$ produces ethane $\left({\mathrm{C}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_6\right)$and Water$\left({\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}\right)$
• Balanced chemical equation

$\underset{\mathrm{Ethanol}}{{\mathrm{C}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_5\mathrm{OH}}\left(\mathrm{l}\right)\stackrel{{170}^0\mathrm{C}/{\mathrm{H}}_2{\mathrm{SO}}_4}{\to }\underset{\mathrm{Ethane}}{{\mathrm{C}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_4}\left(\mathrm{g}\right)+\underset{\mathrm{Water}}{{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}}\left(\mathrm{l}\right)$