Three alkanes are being considered as fuels for a portable burner.
The burner pumps fuel through a heated chamber. The fuel supply must be at least 10 cm³ per minute. The chamber can reach a maximum temperature of 160 ∘C160\ ^\circ\text{C}160 ∘C and must boil the fuel so that it mixes with oxygen.
The table shows data for the three fuels.
| Fuel | Number of carbon atoms in each molecule | Boiling point in ∘C^\circ\text{C}∘C | Flow rate through the pump in cm³ per minute |
|---|---|---|---|
| L | 7 | 98 | 15 |
| M | 10 | 174 | 9 |
| N | 14 | 254 | 4 |
Suggest which fuel should be used in the burner. Explain your answer.
Fuel L burns completely in oxygen.
Complete and balance the symbol equation for this reaction.
................ + O2→\text{O}_2 \rightarrowO2→ ................ + ................