Final answer:
The decomposition of potassium chlorate (KClO₃) according to the balanced chemical equation yields 3 moles of oxygen gas (O₂) for every 2 moles of KClO₃ decomposed, so the answer is C. 3 moles.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question is about determining the number of moles of oxygen released when potassium chlorate decomposes. To answer this question, we need to look at the balanced chemical equation for the decomposition of potassium chlorate (KClO₃), which is:
2 KClO₃(s) → 2 KCl(s) + 3 O₂(g)
From the equation, we can see that for every 2 moles of potassium chlorate that decompose, 3 moles of oxygen gas (O₂) are produced. Therefore, the answer to the question "Moles of oxygen released by potassium chlorate" is C. 3 moles..