Final answer:
The value of n for the alkane component of gasoline with a molar mass between 125 and 130 g/mol is 7.
Step-by-step explanation:
The general formula for alkanes is CnH2n+2. For an alkane with a molar mass of 125-130 g/mol, we can use this formula to determine the value of n. First, we need to find the molar mass of the alkane component of gasoline.
Let's assume it is x g/mol. According to the general formula, we can set up the equation x = 12n + 2(1n + 2) since the molar mass of carbon is 12 g/mol and the molar mass of hydrogen is 1 g/mol.
Simplifying the equation, we get x = 14n + 28. Since the molar mass of the alkane is between 125 and 130 g/mol, we can substitute x with a value within that range and solve for n. Let's assume x = 125 g/mol:
125 = 14n + 28
Subtracting 28 from both sides, we get:
97 = 14n
Dividing both sides by 14, we find that n ≈ 6.93. Since n represents the number of carbon atoms, we can round it to the nearest whole number. Therefore, the value of n for this alkane is 7.