Explain the conversion of acetic acid into methane and ethane in separate steps. 

Explanation

Sodium acetate on decarboxylation gives methane .
`CH_(3) COOH overset(NaOH)(to) CH_(3) COO^(-) Na^(+) overset(NaOH)underset(CaO)(to) CH_(4) + Na_(2) CO_(3)`
Electrolysis of aqueous conc. , sodium acetate gives ethane .
`2 CH_(3) COO Na^(+) + 2H_(2) O overset("Electrolysis")(to) CH_(3) - CH_(3) + 2 CO_(2) + 2 NaOH + H_(2)`