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Chemistry LibreTexts

The Combustion of Acetylene

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Chemical Concept Demonstrated

  • Chemistry of alkynes

Demonstration

Crushed ice is covered over the bottom of a beaker.

Calcium carbide (CaC2) is sprinkled over the ice.

A match is dropped into the beaker.

acety.gif

Observations

An exothermic reaction occurs.

Explanation (including important chemical equations)

Calcium carbide reacts with water to form acetylene.

CaC2 (s) + H2O (l) --> Ca2+ (aq) +2 OH- (aq) + H2C2 (g)

In the presence of a flame, acetylene reacts with oxygen to form carbon dioxide and water.

2 H2C2 (g) + 5 O2 (g) --> 4 CO2 (g) + 2 H2O (g)


The Combustion of Acetylene is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by George Bodner.

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