Final answer:
For every 9 moles of water produced in the combustion of octane, there are 8 moles of carbon dioxide produced. If 0.3 moles of water are produced, a proportion can be set up to calculate that approximately 0.2667 moles of carbon dioxide would be produced.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine how many moles of carbon dioxide (CO2) were produced if 0.3 moles of water (H2O) were created, you would need to look at the balanced chemical equation for the combustion reaction taking place. The most common chemical equation for the combustion of a hydrocarbon, say octane (a component of gasoline), is:
C₈H₁₈ + 12.5 O₂ → 8 CO₂ + 9 H₂O
You will see that each mole of octane produces 9 moles of water and 8 moles of carbon dioxide. Therefore, for every 9 moles of water produced, there are 8 moles of carbon dioxide produced.
If you have 0.3 moles of water, you can set up a proportion to find the moles of carbon dioxide:
(moles of H2O / moles of CO₂) = (9 / 8)
(0.3 / x) = (9 / 8)
x = (0.3 * 8) / 9
x = 0.2667 moles of CO₂
Therefore, 0.2667 moles of carbon dioxide would have been produced alongside the 0.3 moles of water.