What is the product of a combustion reaction?

In a combustion reaction, the primary reactants are a hydrocarbon (or another organic compound) and oxygen. The typical products of complete combustion, especially for hydrocarbons, are carbon dioxide and water.

When a hydrocarbon combusts completely in the presence of sufficient oxygen, it results in the formation of carbon dioxide, which is produced when carbon from the hydrocarbon bonds with oxygen, and water, which forms when hydrogen from the hydrocarbon bonds with oxygen. This is why carbon dioxide and water are recognized as the standard products of complete combustion.

While carbon monoxide can occasionally form during incomplete combustion (when there is not enough oxygen), this is not representative of what happens in a complete combustion scenario. The other combinations listed—like hydrogen gas and carbon dioxide, or oxygen and nitrogen gas—do not reflect the expected products of combustion processes involving typical hydrocarbons. Hence, the correct focus is on carbon dioxide and water as the end products of combustion reactions.