Action of heat on a mixture of sodium propanoate and sodalime produces :

Options

A. Methane
B. Ethane
C. Propane
D. Ethylene

Explanation

To solve the question regarding the action of heat on a mixture of sodium propanoate and sodalime, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Identify the Reactants**:
- Sodium propanoate (C2H5COONa) is the sodium salt of propanoic acid.
- Sodalime is a mixture of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and calcium oxide (CaO).

2. **Understand the Reaction**:
- When sodium propanoate is heated with sodalime, a decarboxylation reaction occurs. Decarboxylation is the removal of a carboxyl group (-COOH) from a compound, releasing carbon dioxide (CO2) in the process.

3. **Write the Reaction**:
- The reaction can be represented as:
\[ C2H5COONa + NaOH \xrightarrow{\text{heat}} C2H6 + Na2CO3 + CO2 \]
- Here, sodium propanoate reacts with sodium hydroxide under heat to produce ethane (C2H6), sodium carbonate (Na2CO3), and carbon dioxide (CO2).

4. **Identify the Main Product**:
- The primary product of this reaction is ethane (C2H6).

5. **Conclusion**:
- Therefore, the action of heat on a mixture of sodium propanoate and sodalime produces ethane.

### Final Answer:
The action of heat on a mixture of sodium propanoate and sodalime produces **ethane (C2H6)**.