In welding and cutting of metals, the organic gas commonly used in the heating process is

Answer Details

Ethyne (commonly known as acetylene, C₂H₂) is the organic gas used in the oxy-acetylene torch for welding and cutting metals. When ethyne burns in pure oxygen, it produces an extremely hot flame reaching temperatures above 3,000 °C - hot enough to melt steel and other metals.

The combustion reaction is:

\[2\text{C}_2\text{H}_2(g) + 5\text{O}_2(g) \rightarrow 4\text{CO}_2(g) + 2\text{H}_2\text{O}(g)\]

Ethyne produces such a high temperature because it is an unsaturated hydrocarbon with a carbon-carbon triple bond, which stores a large amount of energy. This makes it far superior to other hydrocarbons for metalwork.

Methane, propene, and butane can all burn, but their flames do not reach the extreme temperatures required to cut through metals. Ethyne's unique suitability for this industrial application is a frequently tested fact in organic chemistry.