What is the primary product of the complete combustion of a hydrocarbon?

In the complete combustion of a hydrocarbon, the primary reaction involves the hydrocarbon reacting with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide and water as the main products. The reaction can be simplified as:

[ \text{Hydrocarbon} + O_2 \rightarrow CO_2 + H_2O ]

During complete combustion, sufficient oxygen is present, allowing the hydrocarbon to react fully and oxidize completely, resulting primarily in carbon dioxide. This indicates that the carbon atoms in the hydrocarbon are fully oxidized to form carbon dioxide.

While water is also produced in this reaction, carbon dioxide is the significant gaseous product resulting from the complete oxidation of the carbon in the hydrocarbon. In conditions of incomplete combustion, products like carbon monoxide might be generated, but these are not the primary products in a complete combustion scenario. Nitrogen gas does not play a role in the combustion of hydrocarbons; it is generally a byproduct of air and does not form from the combustion process itself.

Thus, the correct identification of carbon dioxide as the primary product underscores the importance of complete oxidation in the combustion process.