What is the chemical formula of wax?

Paraffin wax (or petroleum wax) is a soft colorless solid derived from petroleum, coal or oil shale that consists of a mixture of hydrocarbon molecules containing between twenty and forty carbon atoms….Paraffin wax.

What is the chemical equation for the burning of wax?

Q: Write a general chemical equation for the reaction that occurs when a fuel such as candle wax burns. A: The burning of fuel is a combustion reaction. The general equation for this type of reaction is: Fuel + O2 → CO2 + H2O.

What chemicals are in wax?

Paraffin waxes are mixtures of saturated n- and iso- alkanes, naphthenes, and alkyl- and naphthene-substituted aromatic compounds. A typical alkane paraffin wax chemical composition comprises hydrocarbons with the general formula CnH2n+2, such as hentriacontane, C31H64.

How is wax made?

Paraffin wax is obtained from petroleum by dewaxing light lubricating oil stocks. It is used in candles, wax paper, polishes, cosmetics, and electrical insulators. In wood and paper matches, it helps to ignite the matchstick by supplying an easily vaporized hydrocarbon fuel.

What is the chemical reaction for paraffin wax and oxygen?

combustion
When paraffin comes into contact with oxygen with enough energy, it burns completely and becomes water and carbon dioxide. The fire is a result of this reaction happening very quickly and is known as combustion. The fire is so hot that the wax actually turns from a solid to a vapor.

Is melting of candle wax is chemical reaction?

When a candle burns, both physical and chemical changes occur. So, the melting of wax and vapourisation of melted wax are physical changes. Chemical Changes : The wax near flame burns and gives new substances like carbon dioxide, carbon soot, water vapour, heat and light.

What is the chemical formula of a candle?

So many candles are made from “paraffin wax” which has the chemical formula C25H52. When paraffin comes into contact with oxygen with enough energy, it burns completely and becomes water and carbon dioxide. The fire is a result of this reaction happening very quickly and is known as combustion.

What is paraffin formula?

Paraffins, also known as alkanes, are saturated compounds that have the general formula CnH2n+2, where n is the number of carbon atoms. The simplest alkane is methane (CH4), which is also represented as C1. Normal paraffins (n-paraffins or n-alkanes) are unbranched straight-chain molecules.