What is the coefficient for O2 when balancing the combustion equation of glucose using the smallest whole-number coefficients?

To determine the coefficient for O2 when balancing the combustion equation of glucose (C6H12O6), we start by writing the unbalanced equation:

C6H12O6 + O2 → CO2 + H2O

In the complete combustion of glucose, glucose reacts with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide and water. The products are formed as follows:

1. In one molecule of glucose, there are 6 carbon atoms, which will yield 6 CO2 molecules.
2. There are 12 hydrogen atoms in glucose, leading to the formation of 6 H2O molecules.

Now we can write the balanced equation with known coefficients for the products:

C6H12O6 + O2 → 6 CO2 + 6 H2O

Next, we need to calculate the total number of oxygen atoms on the product side. From the products, we derive:

• Each CO2 molecule contains 2 oxygen atoms, contributing a total of 6 CO2 molecules, which gives 6 × 2 = 12 oxygen atoms.
• Each H2O molecule has 1 oxygen atom, and 6 H2O contributes 6 × 1 = 6 oxygen atoms.

Combining these, the total number