Oxygen combines with carbon in the fuel to generate Carbon Dioxide (CO2) . 1. In
ID: 278990 • Letter: O
Question
Oxygen combines with carbon in the fuel to generate Carbon Dioxide (CO2).
1. In general, each gallon of gas weighing 6.25 pounds gives rise to about 19.3 pounds of Carbon Dioxide.
2. How is this possible, you ask? No laws of physics are being broken. Gasoline is a mixture of materials, but octane is important in combustion, and it has 8 Carbons and 18 Hydrogens)
3. 1 molecule of octane will produce 8 molecules of CO2, and 9 molecules of water. It produces 8 molecules of CO2 because each of the eight carbon atoms will react with oxygen. So the weight of the carbon and the weight of the oxygen are now added together. It also explains why you may see water vapor asociated with engine exhaust.
If we consider the atomic weight of carbon (12), hydrogen (1) and oxygen (16), we find the following: Carbon Dioxide = 12 amu and oxygen (16x2) = 32.
So 12 + 32 = 44 atomic mass units. We must multiply (44 x 8 = 352) because each octane gives rise to 8 molecules of carbon dioxide. Octane has a weight of 114 (C (8 x 12 ) + H (18 x 1) or 96 + 18 = 114).
6.25 pounds of gasoline x 352/114 = 6.25 x 3.09 = 19.3 pounds of Carbon Dioxide per gallon of gas.
So burning one gallon of gasoline will produce 19.3 pounds of CO2.
Keep in mind that combustion efficiency will cause this number to vary, but it is a very useful number for obtaining a general idea regarding the amount of CO2 produced from an activity that most everyone is involved in either as a driver or a passenger. We humans drive a lot of cars, and airplanes are even worse.
YOU MUST COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING: USE THE INFORMATION ABOVE TO ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS.
LAB Assignment: So now I would like you to determine how much Carbon Dioxide is produced if you take a round trip drive to your cabin up north.
We will assume that the round trip distance is 150 miles and your mileage is 30 miles/gallon.
Answer these three questions and submit them to the drop box for lab one.
1. Determin the amount of CO2 produced in pounds for one trip and back from the cabin.
2. Then, calculate the amount of CO2 produced from 10 summer trips to the cabin.
3. What does this say about the amount of CO2 produced by the average person in a year?
Explanation / Answer
1. Determin the amount of CO2 produced in pounds for one trip and back from the cabin.
Ans: From the data 19.3 pounds of CO2 from one gallon of gasoline.
Round trip distance is 150miles and milage is 30 miles/gallon
150/30 = 5; 5x19.3 = 96.5 pounds for one round trip
2. Then, calculate the amount of CO2 produced from 10 summer trips to the cabin.
For one trip 96.5 pounds of CO2, for 10 trips 10x96.5 = 964 pounds of CO2
3. What does this say about the amount of CO2 produced by the average person in a year?
Average person per day produces 2.3 pounds of CO2 (negating his exercise and other activities). Days for a year 365.25 x 2.3 = 840.075 pounds of CO2 per year. Hence having vehicle and if you travel 150x10 = 1500 miles produces 840 pounds of CO2 per year which means you are breathing equivalent to two human beings. Just imagine 7 billion people having (if) 7 billion vehicles, nothing but equivalent to having 14 billion population on the globe.
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