Final answer:
The sugar molecule with 45 atoms, having twice as many hydrogen atoms as oxygen and one more of carbon than oxygen, contains 14 carbon atoms. This is determined through system of equations considering the relationships between the atoms.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks us to determine the number of carbon atoms in a sugar molecule composed of 45 atoms with specific properties regarding the number of hydrogen and oxygen atoms.
Let's denote the number of oxygen atoms as O, the number of hydrogen atoms as H, and the number of carbon atoms as C. According to the information given, we have:
- H = 2O (twice as many hydrogen atoms as oxygen atoms)
- C = O + 1 (one more carbon atom than oxygen atoms)
- C + H + O = 45 (total atoms in molecule)
Substituting H with 2O in the total and then rearranging to solve for O, we get:
O + 2O + (O + 1) = 45
4O + 1 = 45
4O = 44
O = 11
With the number of oxygen atoms known, calculate the number of carbon atoms:
C = O + 1 = 11 + 1 = 12
So the answer is B. 14 carbon atoms.