Explain the reaction mechanism of the following reaction by showing the types of bond splitting and atom rearrangements.
C + O2 = CO2
The reaction you mentioned is the combustion of carbon (C) to form carbon dioxide (CO2). In this reaction, carbon reacts with oxygen gas (O2) to produce carbon dioxide.
The reaction mechanism for this combustion reaction involves a series of steps, including bond breaking and formation, as well as atom rearrangements. Let's break it down:
1. Bond Breaking:
The first step involves the breaking of bonds in the reactants. In this case, the carbon-oxygen double bond (C=O) in oxygen gas (O2) needs to be broken. This bond breaking requires energy to be supplied to break the bond.
2. Atom Rearrangement:
Once the bond between the carbon and oxygen atoms in O2 is broken, the oxygen atoms (O) are freed to react with carbon (C). The carbon atom in C then combines with one of the freed oxygen atoms (O) to form carbon monoxide (CO).
3. Bond Formation:
After the formation of carbon monoxide (CO), the remaining oxygen atom (O) reacts with another carbon atom (C) to form a carbon dioxide molecule (CO2). This bond formation involves the sharing of electrons between the carbon and oxygen atoms, resulting in the creation of a double bond (C=O) in carbon dioxide.
In summary, the combustion of carbon (C) with oxygen (O2) involves breaking the double bond in O2, rearranging the atoms, and forming new bonds between carbon and oxygen atoms to create carbon dioxide (CO2).