Question

Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has been a topic in the news lately as one of the major causes of global warming and climate change (a topic we will explore later). One of the major components of gasoline is octane and it undergoes the following reaction in your car:

2 C8H18 (l) + 25 O2 --> 16 CO2 + 18 H2O

If the typical tank (about 15 gal) can hold 42.6 kg of gasoline, how many kg of CO2 will be released into the air from using your car?

Answer 1

Answer on Question #83255 – Chemistry – General Chemistry

Question

Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has been a topic in the news lately as one of the major causes of global warming and climate change (a topic we will explore later). One of the major components of gasoline is octane and it undergoes the following reaction in your car:

$$2 C _ {8} H _ {1 8} (l) + 2 5 O _ {2} \rightarrow 1 6 C O _ {2} + 1 8 H _ {2} O$$

If the typical tank (about 15gal) can hold $42.6kg$ of gasoline, how many $kg$ of $CO_{2}$ will be released into the air from using your car?

Solution

42.6kg is 42600g. From equation of the reaction it follows, that from two moles of $C_8H_{18}$ sixteen moles of $CO_2$ are produced. Molar mass of $C_8H_{18}$ equals $12 \times 8 + 1 \times 18 = 114\left(\frac{g}{mol}\right)$ . Molar mass of $CO_2$ equals $12 + 16 \times 2 = 44\left(\frac{g}{mol}\right)$ . Two moles of $C_8H_{18}$ weigh $114\frac{g}{mol} \times 2mol = 228g$ , sixteen moles of $CO_2$ weigh $44\frac{g}{mol} \times 16mol = 704g$ . Therefore, there is a proportion:

228g of gasoline produce 704g of carbon dioxide;

42600g of gasoline produce $Xg$ of carbon dioxide.

$$\frac {2 2 8}{4 2 6 0 0} = \frac {7 0 4}{X}$$ $$X = \frac {4 2 6 0 0 \times 7 0 4}{2 2 8} \approx 1 3 1 5 3 7$$

Thus, $42600g$ of gasoline produce $131537g$ , or $131.537kg$ of carbon dioxide.

Answer: it will be released $131.537kg$ of carbon dioxide.

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