Final answer:
To find the number of moles of carbon dioxide (CO2) in a 17.6 g sample, we divide the mass by the molar mass of CO2 (44.009 g/mol), which gives us approximately 0.40 mol. Therefore, the correct answer is (c) 0.40 mol.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question is asking to calculate the amount of carbon dioxide in moles for a given mass of 17.6 g of CO2. The molar mass of CO2 is the sum of the molar masses of one mole of carbon (C) and two moles of oxygen (O), which can be calculated as follows: 1x12.011 g/mol for C + 2x15.999 g/mol for O = 44.009 g/mol for CO2. To find the number of moles, we use the formula:
moles = mass / molar mass
moles of CO2 = 17.6 g / 44.009 g/mol = 0.40 mol (approximately)
Therefore, the correct answer to the question is (c) 0.40 mol.