Final answer:
The correct answer is option a. 83.2 moles of CO2, which is determined by the stoichiometry of the balanced equation for the combustion of ethanol, wherein 2 moles of CO2 are produced per mole of ethanol combusted. The correct option is A.
Step-by-step explanation:
The number of moles of carbon dioxide produced from the complete combustion of 41.6 moles of ethanol can be determined using stoichiometry based on the balanced chemical equation of the combustion of ethanol:
C2H5OH + 3 O2 → 2 CO2 + 3 H2O.
According to the balanced equation, for every mole of ethanol (C2H5OH) that is combusted, 2 moles of carbon dioxide (CO2) are produced. Therefore, we multiply the number of moles of ethanol by 2 to find the number of moles of CO2 produced:
41.6 moles ethanol × 2 moles CO2/mole ethanol = 83.2 moles CO2
Thus, the correct answer to the student's question is option a. 83.2 moles of CO2.