If a 1.59 gram sample of a carbon-containing compound is burned in air, 1.01 gram of CO₂ is produced. What is the percent carbon in the compound?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

To find the percent carbon, first calculate the mass of carbon in the CO2 produced. The molar mass of CO2 is 44.01 g/mol, and the molar mass of carbon is 12.01 g/mol. The mass of carbon in 1.01 g of CO2 is (12.01/44.01) * 1.01 g = 0.275 g. The percent carbon in the compound is (0.275 g / 1.59 g) * 100% = 17.3%, which rounds to 17%.

If a 159 Gram Sample of a Carbon-Containing Compound Is Burned in Burned