The balanced equation for the combustion of sucrose in a plentiful supply of air is: C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁ (s) + 12 O₂ (g) → 12 CO₂ (g) + 11 H₂O (l). What mass of oxygen is needed to react exactly with 500 g of sucrose?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

According to the balanced equation, 1 mol of sucrose reacts with 12 mol of oxygen. The molar mass of sucrose is (12 x 1) + (22 x 1) + (11 x 16) = 342 g/mol. Therefore, 500 g of sucrose is equal to 500/342 = 1.46 mol of sucrose. To react with this amount of sucrose, we need 1.46 x 12 = 17.52 mol of oxygen. The molar mass of oxygen is 32 g/mol. So, the mass of oxygen needed is 17.52 x 32 = 561.6 g. Rounding off to the nearest whole number, the answer is 578 g.

The Balanced Equation for the Combustion of Sucrose in a Plentiful