Burning methane in oxygen can produce three different carbon-containing products: soot (very fine particles of graphite), CO(g), and CO2(g).
(a) Write three balanced equations for the reaction of methane gas with oxygen to produce these three products. In each case assume that H2O(l) is the only other product.
(b) Determine the standard enthalpies for the reactions in part (a).
(c) Why, when the oxygen supply is adequate, is CO2(g) the predominant carbon-containing product of the combustion of methane?