Chapter 16, Problem 73QAP

Natural gas, which is mostly methane, CH₄, is a resource that the United States has in abundance. In principle, ethane can be obtained from methane by the reaction

   $2{\text{CH}}_4\left(g\right)\to {\text{C}}_2{\text{H}}_6\left(g\right)+{\text{H}}_2\left(g\right)$

(a) Calculate ΔG° at 25°C for the reaction. Comment on the feasibility of this reaction at 25°C.
(b) Couple the reaction above with the formation of steam from the elements:

   ${\text{H}}_2\left(g\right)+\frac{1}{2}{\text{O}}_2\left(g\right)\to {\text{H}}_2\text{O}\left(g\right)\Delta G°=-228.6\text{kJ}$

What is the equation for the overall reaction? Comment on the feasibility of the overall reaction.