POSSIBLE POINTS 5.26 Methane gas will reaot with oxygen gas to form earbon dioxide gas and water vapor. Write the balaneed equation on your paperand then balance the partieles by typing in the correct ooefficients. loxel cannot be left blank. 1.

## Step 1<br />The given chemical reaction is the combustion of methane gas (CH4) with oxygen gas (O2) to form carbon dioxide gas (CO2) and water vapor (H2O). The unbalanced chemical equation for this reaction is:<br /><br />### \(CH4 + O2 \rightarrow CO2 + H2O\)<br /><br />## Step 2<br />To balance this chemical equation, we need to ensure that the number of atoms of each element is the same on both sides of the equation. This is in accordance with the law of conservation of mass, which states that matter cannot be created or destroyed in a chemical reaction.<br /><br />## Step 3<br />We start by balancing the carbon atoms. There is one carbon atom on both sides of the equation, so the carbon atoms are already balanced.<br /><br />## Step 4<br />Next, we balance the hydrogen atoms. There are 4 hydrogen atoms on the left side (in CH4) and 2 hydrogen atoms on the right side (in H2O). To balance the hydrogen atoms, we need to multiply the H2O by 2, giving us 4 hydrogen atoms on both sides.<br /><br />## Step 5<br />Finally, we balance the oxygen atoms. There are 2 oxygen atoms on the left side (in O2) and 4 oxygen atoms on the right side (2 in CO2 and 2 in 2H2O). To balance the oxygen atoms, we need to multiply the O2 by 2, giving us 4 oxygen atoms on both sides.