Question

The number of moles and the mass of carbon dioxide formed by the combustion of 20.0 kg of carbon in an excess of oxygen.

Answer 1

By calculating from the mass of carbon, we find that the combustion of 20.0 kg carbon produces 1666.11 mol
`CO_(2)`, which translates to a mass of 73.32 kg
`CO_(2)`.

Step-by-step explanation:

The combustion of carbon in an excess of oxygen forms carbon dioxide (
`CO_(2)`). The chemical equation for combustion of carbon is C +
`O_(2)` →
`CO_(2)`. To find the number of moles of
`CO_(2)` produced, we use the mole ratio from the balanced equation, which is 1:1 between carbon and
`CO_(2)`.

First, convert the mass of carbon to moles: 20.0 kg C * (1000 g/kg) * (1 mol C/12.01 g C) = 1666.11 mol C. Since each mole of carbon produces one mole of
`CO_(2)`, the moles of
`CO_(2)` formed will also be 1666.11 mol. The mass of
`CO_(2)` is then calculated by multiplying the moles of
`CO_(2)` by its molar mass (44.01 g/mol): 1666.11 mol
`CO_(2)` * 44.01 g/mol = 73,320 g
`CO_(2)`, or 73.32 kg
`CO_(2)`.