How to balance an equation for the incomplete combustion of acetic acid?

[Thecla]

TL;DR

how to balance incomplete combustion of acetic acid equation

Balancing the complete combustion of acetic acid equation to carbon dioxide and water is straightforward if you remember hydrogen is always +1, elemental oxygen is zero and combined oxygen is always -2. just balance the exchange of electrons between oxygen and carbon. But how do you balance the equation when the product is carbon dioxide ,carbon monoxide, and water?

 

[Borek]

You don't, oxidation to CO and oxidation to CO₂ are two separate reactions. They can occur both at the same time, but then the process is not described by a unique stoichiometry (i.e. there is no single set of coefficients that balance the equation, more like infinite number of sets).

Compare https://www.chembuddy.com/balancing-stoichiometry-balancing-failure