To answer how much energy is required to combust propane vs gasoline, you would need to know the balanced chemical equations for the combustion of propane and gasoline. The balanced equations would provide the stoichiometric coefficients, which indicate the ratios of the reactants and products involved in the combustion reactions.
For propane combustion, the balanced equation is:
C₃H₈ + 5O₂ → 3CO₂ + 4H₂O
This equation shows that one molecule of propane (C₃H₈) reacts with five molecules of oxygen (O₂) to produce three molecules of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and four molecules of water (H₂O).
For gasoline, the composition can vary, and the exact balanced equation would depend on the specific hydrocarbon components present in the gasoline.
Once you have the balanced equations, you would also need to know the standard enthalpy of formation (ΔH°f) values for the reactants and products involved in the combustion reactions. These values represent the change in enthalpy (energy) during the formation of one mole of a substance from its constituent elements, at standard conditions.
With the balanced equations and the ΔH°f values, you can apply the principles of thermochemistry and use the Hess's Law to calculate the energy released during the combustion reactions of propane and gasoline. The difference in energy released would indicate the difference in energy required to combust propane vs gasoline.
