What are the products of complete combustion of a hydrocarbon?

The complete combustion of a hydrocarbon involves the reaction of the hydrocarbon with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide and water. In this process, sufficient oxygen must be present to ensure that all carbon atoms in the hydrocarbon are converted into carbon dioxide, and all hydrogen atoms are converted into water.

The reaction can be represented by the general equation: [ \text{Hydrocarbon} + \text{O}_2 \rightarrow \text{CO}_2 + \text{H}_2\text{O} ]

During complete combustion, hydrocarbons release energy, which is why they are often used as fuels. The efficient transformation into carbon dioxide and water ensures that the combustion process is clean, minimizing the production of harmful by-products that result from incomplete combustion.

In contrast, the other responses indicate different by-products or conditions that do not occur during complete combustion. Carbon monoxide, for instance, is produced during incomplete combustion when there is not enough oxygen. Carbon and hydrogen are not the final products of combustion but rather the elemental components of hydrocarbons, and oxygen is a reactant, not a product, in the combustion process.