Combustion Reaction [ENDORSED]

[Tarek Abushamma]

When using a combustion reaction to find the empirical formula of a compound, will oxygen always be one of the elements we are tying to solve for?

[Elena 1H]

Im pretty sure its always the combustion element + oxygen ---> H2O + CO2 so yes? Im not sure what you mean by "solve for"

[Tarek Abushamma]

I meant can you use a combustion reaction to find the empirical formula of a compound that does not contain oxygen? Or will oxygen always be present in the final empirical formula?

[Amanda 1A]

So the combustion element will not be present in the products side of the reaction? it would just be H2O and CO2?

[Eli Esagoff_1I]

The combusted element produces CO2 + H2O after reacting with oxygen.

[Jose Hernandez 1D]

Oxygen would be in the reactants side while CO2 and H2O are the products created in the combustion reaction

[ramayyala1G]

I meant can you use a combustion reaction to find the empirical formula of a compound that does not contain oxygen? Or will oxygen always be present in the final empirical formula?

Well yes, there are some compounds that react with Oxygen that they themselves do not contain oxygen within. Combustion reactions only require oxygen to be reacted with, not a compound that contains oxygen. One example would be CH4 + 2O2-->CO2 + 2H2O. The compound does not contain oxygen but it is reacting with oxygen hence, it is combustion. Does that make sense?