What happens when methane (natural gas) burns in air? Write the chemical equation of the reaction of the reaction involved.

When methane (CH4), which is the primary component of natural gas, burns in the presence of oxygen (O2) in the air, it undergoes a combustion reaction to produce carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O) as the primary products. The chemical equation for this combustion reaction is as follows:

CH4 (g) + 2O2 (g) → CO2 (g) + 2H2O (g)

In this equation:

CH4 represents methane, a hydrocarbon.
O2 represents molecular oxygen, which is abundant in the air.
CO2 represents carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas.
H2O represents water vapor, which is formed due to the combustion process.
This reaction is exothermic, meaning it releases heat energy and is a common process used for heating, cooking, and power generation when natural gas is used as a fuel source. It is essential to ensure complete combustion to minimize the production of harmful byproducts like carbon monoxide (CO) and to maximize the energy output.