Methane, on burning with oxygen, gives which of the following products?

The correct answer is Carbon dioxide and water.

Key Points

• Methane (CH₄) is a simple hydrocarbon and the main component of natural gas.
• When methane burns in the presence of sufficient oxygen, it undergoes complete combustion.
• The chemical reaction for complete combustion of methane is: CH₄ + 2O₂ → CO₂ + 2H₂O.
• This reaction produces carbon dioxide (CO₂) and water vapor (H₂O) as the primary products.
• Complete combustion releases a large amount of energy, making methane an efficient fuel.
• Carbon dioxide and water produced are gases at standard temperature and pressure, with water mostly in vapor form due to the heat of combustion.
• In the absence of sufficient oxygen, incomplete combustion may occur, producing carbon monoxide (CO) and soot, but this is not the typical reaction when methane burns properly.
• Methane combustion is widely used for heating, cooking, and electricity generation.

 Additional Information

• Carbonic Acid
  • Carbonic acid (H₂CO₃) forms when carbon dioxide dissolves in water.
  • It is an intermediate in the carbon cycle but is not a direct product of methane combustion.
  • Carbonic acid plays a key role in ocean acidification but is unrelated to the burning of methane.
• Carbon monoxide and water
  • Carbon monoxide (CO) is produced during incomplete combustion due to insufficient oxygen.
  • Incomplete combustion is hazardous because CO is a poisonous gas.
  • Complete combustion of methane ideally avoids producing CO.
• Carbon monoxide only
  • Carbon monoxide is never the sole product of methane combustion.
  • It appears only in incomplete combustion scenarios along with other products like soot and water vapor.