>
> So, the chemical reaction is 2(CH2) + 3(O2) => 2(CO2) + 4(H2O) + heat. Now
> assuming that the hydrocarbon in liquid coming in and the water is gaseous
> going out due to the high temp, you ingest 3 oxygen gas molecules and put
> out 6 gas molecules including 2 carbon dioxide and 4 water. So combustion
> puts out 50% more molecules that it brings in.
>
I'm posting this to the list so that if I make an ass of myself, at
least I will do it properly -- in front of hundreds of people :-)
I don't believe it's physically possible to have more molecules going
out then coming in. The equation must be balanced. You have to have
the same number of hydrogen molecules on each side of the arrow, same
number of oxygen, same number of carbon. I seem to vaguely remember
this from my freshman Chemistry class.
So in the reaction given above,
2(CH2) + 3(O2) --> 2(CO2) + 2(H2O) + heat.
This gives you 2 carbons on each side, 4 hydrogens on each side, and 6
oxygens on each side, plus of course, heat.
The equation must be balanced, you can't create atoms in the combustion
chamber of an engine.
--
Sean Bartnik
Fredericksburg, Virginia
'81 Vanagon Westfalia
'74 Karmann Ghia convertible
http://www.type2.com/bartnik/myvan.htm
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