Gasoline is a mixture of hydrocarbons boiling between 120 and 400 degree F with
ID: 503866 • Letter: G
Question
Gasoline is a mixture of hydrocarbons boiling between 120 and 400 degree F with chemical formulas between C_6 H_14 and C_12 H_26, but a good "average" formula is octane, C_8 H_8. If one gallon of gasoline (C_8 H_18) is burned in your car, how many pounds of CO_2 will be produced? [density of gasoline = 0.75 g/ml; 1 gallon = 4 quarts; 1 liter = 1.056 quarts; 1 pound = 453.6 grams] (show all calculations and how units cancel for full credit) Estimate how many mpg your car gets and how many miles you drive in a year. Then calculate how many pounds of CO_2 you produce in a year, polluting our atmosphere, from driving your car. (Must show all calculations and how units cancel for full credit) My car gets _____ miles per gallon and I drive _____ miles per year, therefore I produce _____ pounds of CO_2 (a heat trapping gas) each year.Explanation / Answer
SOLUTION:
Part 1. Balanced combustion reacion of gasoline is given as
C8H18 + 25/2 O2 ---------> 8CO2 + 9H2O
when one mole or 114g of gosoline is burnt 8 moles or 8X44 = 352g of CO2 are produced.
Mass of gasoline in 1 Gallon = density X volume
Density = 0.75g/mL; Volume = 1 gallon = 3.7854L = 3785.4mL
Therefore Mass of gasoline in 1 Gallon = 0.75 X 3785.4 = 2839.5g
As per above combustion reaction 114g of gasoline produce 352g of CO2
1g of gasoline will produce 352 / 114 = 3.08g of CO2
Therefore 1gallon or 2839.5g of gasoline will produce 3.08 X 2839.5 = 8745.66g
8745.66g = 8745.66g/453.6 = 19.28 pound/galon
Part II: My car gets 40 miles per gallon of gasoline and I drive 1825 miles per year.
Therefore total gallons of gasoline consumed per year = 1825 / 40 = 45.625 Gallons
Therefore total Co2 produced = Total number of gallons of gasoline X CO2 produced by one gallon
= 45.625 Gallons X 19.28 pound/gallon = 879.65 pound
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