Combustion of ethanol?

Question

C2H5OH(l) + 3O2(g) 2CO2(g) + 3H2O(l), DH = -1.37 x 103 kJ
For the combustion of ethyl alcohol as described in the above equation, which of the following is true?

I. The reaction is exothermic.
II. The enthalpy change would be different if gaseous water were produced.
III. The reaction is not an oxidation-reduction one.
IV. The products of the reaction occupy a larger volume than the reactants.


A. I, II
B. I, II, III
C. I, III, IV
D. III, IV
E. Only I
I think I and II are correct, but I am not sure about the others. Please help.

Answer 1

A)

It's a trick question. In reality IV would be true as well b/c burning stuff is hot so it generates gaseous water, but as written the water formed is liquid, so you're taking three molecules of O2 and replacing them with only two molecules of CO2, so you're decreasing the amount of gas out of this hypothetical and meaningless description of the combustion.