Question

Propane (C₃H₈) is a flammable and volatile gas. If 2 moles of propane are burned in 8 moles of oxygen (O₂) based on the following chemical equation: C₃H₈ (g) + 5O₂ (g) → 3CO₂ (g) + 4H₂O (g), how many moles of CO₂ (g) are formed?

A. 2 moles
B. 4 moles
C. 5 moles
D. 10 moles

Answer 1

Burning 2 moles of propane (C₃H₈) produces 6 moles of carbon dioxide (CO₂) when reacting with oxygen, according to the stoichiometry of the balanced chemical equation.

Step-by-step explanation:

If 2 moles of propane (C₃H₈) are burned in oxygen (O₂), with the chemical equation C₃H₈ (g) + 5O₂ (g) → 3CO₂ (g) + 4H₂O (g), you can directly relate the moles of reactants to the moles of products using stoichiometry.

The balanced equation shows that 1 mole of propane reacts with 5 moles of oxygen to produce 3 moles of CO₂ and 4 moles of H₂O. Therefore, by burning 2 moles of propane, the amount of CO₂ produced would be 2 moles of propane times 3 moles of CO₂ per mole of propane, which is equal to 6 moles of CO₂.