It is the middle of January and an ice storm has hit Markham. Ice has built up on the electrical wires, connected to your home, causing them to snap and disconnecting the hydroelectric power to your home. Since you heat you home with an electric furnace, you now need to find an alternate source of heat. A family member has suggested bringing a propane (chemical formula =C3H8) heater into your bedroom, and closing the door to trap the heat so that you can stay warm through the night. a) Use a chemical equation to show what might happen to the propane in this situation. Hint: propane is reacting with the oxygen in the air.

b) Do you think bringing the propane heater in the room and closing the door is a safe practice? Use your chemical equation from part (a) to explain your choice.

c) How can you make this a safer practice? How would it change the chemical reaction in part (a)?