When making wine, the sugars in grapes undergo fermentation by yeast. What is the combustion reaction for ethanol?

When ethanol (CH₃CH₂OH) undergoes combustion, it reacts with oxygen (O₂) to produce carbon dioxide (CO₂) and water (H₂O). The balanced chemical equation for this process is shown below:

CH3CH2OH + 3 O2 → 2 CO2 + 3 H2O

This reaction illustrates how ethanol, a product of fermentation, can be burned as fuel. In the presence of oxygen, the carbon and hydrogen in ethanol are oxidized, producing carbon dioxide and water as byproducts. This is an exothermic reaction, meaning it releases energy, which is why ethanol can be used as a source of fuel.