What are the products of complete combustion?

The products of complete combustion are water (H2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2). This occurs when a hydrocarbon burns in oxygen. The reaction also releases heat, which is why combustion reactions are exothermic. Here are the steps:

1. Identify the hydrocarbon that is combusting. Hydrocarbons are compounds made up of carbon and hydrogen. An example is methane (CH4).

2. Write down the reaction of the hydrocarbon with oxygen (O2). For methane, it would be: CH4 + O2 → ?

3. The products of complete combustion are always water and carbon dioxide. So, you can complete the reaction: CH4 + O2 → H2O + CO2

4. Balance the equation. For every carbon atom on the left, there must be one on the right. The same goes for hydrogen and oxygen atoms. The balanced equation for methane combustion is: CH4 + 2O2 → 2H2O + CO2

So, the products of complete combustion are water and carbon dioxide.