What Are the Products of Acetylene Combustion in Air?

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SUMMARY

The combustion of acetylene (C2H2) in air produces carbon dioxide (CO2), water (H2O), and nitrogen (N2) as products. The basic chemical equation for complete combustion is C2H2 + (O2 + 3.76N2) -> CO2 + H2O + N2. While nitrogen is often treated as a spectator in simplified equations, it plays a significant role in the combustion process, influencing the formation of various nitrogen oxides (NOx), nitrous oxide (N2O), and cyanide (CN-) depending on the fuel-to-air ratio (F:A). Understanding these products is crucial for analyzing combustion efficiency and emissions.

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Jacob87411
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Acetylene (C2H2) is burned with a stoichiometric amount of air during a combustion procss. Assuming complete combustion, determine the air-fiel ratio on a mass and mole basis.

I'm not asking for help on the actual question I just don't know what the basic chemical equation is?

C2H2 + (O2+3.76N2) -> what?

Does it yield CO2, H20 and N2? Thanks for any help
 
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Jacob87411 said:
Acetylene (C2H2) is burned with a stoichiometric amount of air during a combustion procss. Assuming complete combustion, determine the air-fiel ratio on a mass and mole basis.

I'm not asking for help on the actual question I just don't know what the basic chemical equation is?

C2H2 + (O2+3.76N2) -> what?

Does it yield CO2, H20 and N2? Thanks for any help

You must start with these facts: Your reactants are acetylene and oxygen. Your products are carbon dioxide and water. Nitrogen is probably not going to be involved, but I'm not absolutely certain about this. Try balancing the equation from the point of view of the reactants and products just stated.
 
Well my question wasn't with balancing it, I just wanted to confirm what the product were, not how much of each. So CO2, H20 and N2 are the products?
 
Treat N2 as a spectator - don't put it into the equation.

Borek
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I know this a bit of a dead thread, however:
Nitrogen most certainly is not a spectator. The products depend completely on the F:A ratio. Many NO(x)'s, N2O, and CN- are some of the products running a "stoichiometric" flame. All produce molecular bands in FES spectra.
 

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