Final answer:
When 4.1 moles of HNO3 are consumed, 36.9 grams of water can be produced according to the mole ratio from the balanced chemical equation and the molar mass of water.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate how many grams of water can be made when 4.1 moles of HNO3 are consumed, we must first determine the mole ratio between HNO3 and H2O from the balanced chemical equation.
From the equation 3 Cu + 8 HNO3 = 3 Cu(NO3)2 + 2 NO + 4 H2O, we see that 8 moles of HNO3 produce 4 moles of H2O. We then apply this ratio to the provided amount:
4.1 moles HNO3 × (4 moles H2O / 8 moles HNO3) = 2.05 moles H2O
Now, we convert the moles of H2O to grams using the molar mass of H2O (which is 18.02 g/mol):
2.05 moles H2O × 18.02 g/mol = 36.941 g H2O
Rounding to the nearest tenth gives us 36.9 grams of water.
This is the mass of water that can be produced when 4.1 moles of HNO3 are consumed.