Final answer:
To find the grams of carbon in 34.0 g of propane, calculate the fraction of propane's molar mass that is due to carbon and multiply by the total mass of the propane. Approximately 27.8 grams of carbon are present in 34.0 g of propane.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the number of grams of carbon in 34.0 g of propane (C3H8), we first need to determine the molar mass of propane. The molecular formula for propane is C3H8, which means that in one mole of propane, there are three moles of carbon and eight moles of hydrogen.
The molar mass of carbon (C) is approximately 12.01 g/mol, and the molar mass of hydrogen (H) is about 1.008 g/mol. Thus, the molar mass of one mole of propane is:
- (3 moles of C × 12.01 g/mol) + (8 moles of H × 1.008 g/mol)
- (36.03 g/mol) + (8.064 g/mol)
- 44.094 g/mol for propane
Now, we calculate the fraction of this molar mass that is due to carbon:
- (3 moles of C × 12.01 g/mol) / 44.094 g/mol
- 36.03 g/mol / 44.094 g/mol
- Approximately 0.817 of the mass of propane is carbon.
Finally, to find the number of grams of carbon in 34.0 g of propane:
- 0.817 × 34.0 g = 27.778 g
Therefore, there are approximately 27.8 grams of carbon in 34.0 g of propane.