What is the coefficient for oxygen in the balanced chemical equation for the combustion of heptane (c7h16)? unbalanced equation: c7h16 + o2 → co2 + h2o?

The coefficient of oxygen gas in the above equation is 11

Explanation:

A balanced chemical equation always follow law of conservation of mass.

This law states that mass can neither be created nor be destroyed but it can only be transformed from one form to another form. This also means that total number of individual atoms on reactant side must be equal to the total number of individual atoms on the product side.

The balanced chemical equation for the combustion of methane follows:

By Stoichiometry of the reaction:

1 mole of heptane reacts with 11 moles of oxygen gas to produce 7 moles of carbon dioxide and 8 moles of water

Hence, the coefficient of oxygen gas in the above equation is 11