How much CO₂ is produced by a car driven 20,000 mi in one year?
Assume the following:
• A car gets 20 mi/4.0 L of gasoline.
• Gasoline has the chemical formula of octane: C₈H₁₈.
• One liter of gasoline has a mass of 0.8 kg.
• Gasoline is completely burned to carbon dioxide and water.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

To calculate the CO2 produced, first determine the amount of gasoline used: 20,000 mi / (20 mi/4.0 L) = 4,000 L. The mass of gasoline is 4,000 L * 0.8 kg/L = 3,200 kg. The combustion of octane (C8H18) produces CO2. The molar mass of C8H18 is 114 g/mol, and it produces 8 moles of CO2 (352 g) per mole of octane. Therefore, 3,200 kg of gasoline produces approximately 9,900 kg of CO2.

How Much CO2 Is Produced by a Car Driven 20,000

How Much CO₂ Is Produced by a Car Driven 20,000