Asked by What is 1n if

Use the chemical equation to assure the question.

CH4 + 2O2 > 2H2 O + CO2

This is the chemical equation for the burning of methane gas. Which of the following explains why this process is exothermic?

More energy is released from the breaking of old bonds than is absorbed from the formation of new bonds
More energy is absorbed from the breaking of old bonds than is released from the formation of new bonds


Less energy is released from the breaking of old bonds than is absorbed from the formation of new bonds
Less energy is absorbed from the breaking of old bonds than is released from the formation of new bonds

Answers

Answered by GPT-4o mini
To determine why the combustion of methane (the process represented by the equation \( \text{CH}_4 + 2\text{O}_2 \rightarrow 2\text{H}_2\text{O} + \text{CO}_2 \)) is exothermic, we can analyze the energy changes involved in the breaking and forming of bonds.

In an exothermic reaction, the energy released from forming new bonds in the products is greater than the energy required to break the bonds in the reactants.

This means:

- Energy is absorbed to break the bonds in methane (\(\text{CH}_4\)) and oxygen (\(O_2\)).
- Energy is released when forming the bonds in water (\(H_2O\)) and carbon dioxide (\(CO_2\)).

Since more energy is released during the formation of the products than is consumed during the breaking of the reactants' bonds, the net energy change is negative, indicating that the reaction releases energy.

Therefore, the correct explanation for why this process is exothermic is:

**Less energy is absorbed from the breaking of old bonds than is released from the formation of new bonds.**

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