What is the heat of combustion of butane in kJ/g?

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Study for the UCF CHM1020 Concepts in Chemistry Exam. Access flashcards and multiple-choice questions with explanations. Prepare comprehensively for your final exam!

The heat of combustion is the amount of heat released during the complete combustion of a substance when it is burned in excess oxygen. For butane (C4H10), the combustion reaction can be represented as:

[ 2 \text{C}4\text{H}{10} + 13 \text{O}_2 \rightarrow 8 \text{CO}_2 + 10 \text{H}_2\text{O} ]

The heat of combustion typically varies based on the specific conditions under which it is measured, but for butane, it is widely accepted in the literature that the heat of combustion is approximately 91.4 kJ/g. This value reflects the energy per gram released when butane is burned all the way to carbon dioxide and water.

Understandably, the actual heat of combustion can vary slightly based on experimental methods and the purity of the butane used, which is why different values may be reported in various resources. However, the value of 91.4 kJ/g is considered a standard approximation in thermochemical data.

This particular answer not only aligns with commonly accepted data but also provides a useful reference point for students studying combustion reactions and energy release concepts in chemistry.