Question

Arizona was the site of a 400,000-acre wildfire in June 2002. How much carbon dioxide (CO2) was produced into the atmosphere by that fire? [Hints: Assume that the density of carbon on the acreage was 10 kg/m2 and that 50% of the biomass burned. In addition, 10,000 m2 = 2.47 acre].

Answer 1

2.97 × 10¹³ g

Step-by-step explanation:

First, we have to calculate the biomass the is burned. We can establish the following relations:

• 2.47 acre = 10,000 m²
• 10 kg of C occupy an area of 1 m²
• 50% of the biomass is burned

The biomass burned in the site of 400,000 acre is:

`400,000acre*(10,000m^(2) )/(2.47acre) * (10kgC)/(m^(2) ) * 50\% = 8.10 * 10^(9) kgC`

Let's consider the combustion of carbon.

C(s) + O₂(g) ⇒ CO₂(g)

We can establish the following relations:

• The molar mass of C is 12.01 g/mol
• 1 mole of C produces 1 mole of CO₂
• The molar mass of CO₂ is 44.01 g/mol

The mass of produced is CO₂:

`8.10 * 10^(12)gC * (1molC)/(12.01gC) * (1molCO_(2))/(1molC) * (44.01gCO_(2))/(1molCO_(2)) =2.97 * 10^(13) gCO_(2)`