What are the products of complete combustion of hydrocarbons?

The complete combustion of hydrocarbons involves the reaction of the hydrocarbon with oxygen, resulting in the formation of carbon dioxide and water as the primary products. During this process, hydrocarbons, which consist of carbon and hydrogen atoms, react abundantly with oxygen to ensure complete oxidation. This means that when enough oxygen is present, all carbon for each hydrocarbon molecule gets converted into carbon dioxide, and all hydrogen atoms turn into water.

In a complete combustion scenario, the energy released is maximized, which is characteristic of a complete reaction. This is in contrast to incomplete combustion, which can yield products like carbon monoxide or soot due to insufficient oxygen.

The formation of carbon monoxide or carbon and other compounds happens during incomplete combustion, explaining why options that include these substances are not correct. The presence of only water and hydrogen or water and oxygen also does not align with the complete oxidation expected from hydrocarbons when combusted fully.

Therefore, the right choice clearly reflects the expected and exhaustively understood chemical process of complete combustion in organic chemistry.