Video Transcript
Methanol has been suggested as an alternative fuel for internal combustion engines. What products are formed from the complete combustion of methanol in excess oxygen?
Methanol, which has the chemical formula CH3OH, and its derivatives are used in a variety of areas, including high-performance plastics, synthetic materials, pharmaceuticals, and, as this question has stated, a fuel source. The complete combustion of methanol in excess oxygen produces the same products as the complete combustion of an alkane, such as methane, which is defined as an exothermic reaction that produces carbon dioxide and water molecules, where carbon dioxide has the chemical formula CO2 and water has the chemical formula H2O.
Complete combustion indicates there is enough oxygen present for all of the reactants to react with. In contrast, an incomplete combustion reaction occurs when there isn’t sufficient oxygen present to react with all of the reactants or fuel. And the main products end up being water and carbon monoxide indicated by the chemical formula CO instead of CO2 that is produced in a complete combustion reaction. Therefore, what products are formed from the complete combustion of methanol? The answer is CO2 and H2O.
