What is the mole fraction of ethanol in a solution made by dissolving 29.2 g of ethanol,C₂H₅OH,in 53.6 g of water? A)0.176 B)0.213 C)0.352 D)0.545

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The mole fraction of a component in a solution is calculated by dividing the moles of that component by the total moles of all components in the solution. First, calculate the moles of ethanol and water. The molar mass of ethanol (C2H5OH) is approximately 46.07 g/mol (2*12 + 6*1 + 16 + 1), so the moles of ethanol are 29.2 g / 46.07 g/mol = 0.634 moles. The molar mass of water (H2O) is approximately 18.015 g/mol, so the moles of water are 53.6 g / 18.015 g/mol = 2.975 moles. The total moles in the solution are 0.634 moles (ethanol) + 2.975 moles (water) = 3.609 moles. The mole fraction of ethanol is therefore 0.634 moles / 3.609 moles = 0.176.

What Is the Mole Fraction of Ethanol in a Solution