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Ch.6 - Thermochemistry
All textbooksTro 4th EditionCh.6 - ThermochemistryProblem 95
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Chapter 6, Problem 95

The citizens of the world burn the fossil fuel equivalent of 7 * 10^12 kg of petroleum per year. Assume that all of this petroleum is in the form of octane (C8H18) and calculate how much CO2 (in kg) the world produces from fossil fuel combustion per year. (Hint: Begin by writing a balanced equation for the combustion of octane.) If the atmosphere currently contains approximately 3 * 10^15 kg of CO2, how long will it take for the world’s fossil fuel combustion to double the amount of atmospheric carbon dioxide?

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1
Write the balanced chemical equation for the combustion of octane: \[ 2 \text{C}_8\text{H}_{18} + 25 \text{O}_2 \rightarrow 16 \text{CO}_2 + 18 \text{H}_2\text{O} \].
Calculate the molar mass of octane (C8H18) and carbon dioxide (CO2).
Determine the number of moles of octane burned per year using the given mass of octane and its molar mass.
Use the stoichiometry from the balanced equation to find the number of moles of CO2 produced per year.
Convert the moles of CO2 to mass (in kg) using the molar mass of CO2, and calculate how long it will take to double the atmospheric CO2.
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Textbook Question

The explosive nitroglycerin (C3H5N3O9) decomposes rapidly upon ignition or sudden impact according to the balanced equation: 4 C3H5N3O9(l) → 12 CO2(g) + 10 H2O(g) + 6 N2(g) + O2(g) ΔH°rxn = –5678 kJ Calculate the standard enthalpy of formation (ΔH°f ) for nitroglycerin.

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Textbook Question

Determine the mass of CO2 produced by burning enough of each fuel to produce 1.00×102 kJ of heat. a. CH4(g) + 2 O2(g) → CO2(g) + 2 H2O(g) ΔH°rxn = –802.3 kJ

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Textbook Question

Methanol (CH3OH) has been suggested as a fuel to replace gasoline. Find ΔH°rxn, and determine the mass of carbon dioxide emitted per kJ of heat produced. Use the information from the previous exercise to calculate the same quantity for octane, C8H18. How does methanol compare to octane with respect to global warming?

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Textbook Question

In a sunny location, sunlight has a power density of about 1 kW/m2. Photovoltaic solar cells can convert this power into electricity with 15% efficiency. If a typical home uses 385 kWh of electricity per month, how many square meters of solar cells are required to meet its energy requirements? Assume that electricity can be generated from the sunlight for 8 hours per day.

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Textbook Question

The kinetic energy of a rolling billiard ball is given by KE = 1/2 mv2. Suppose a 0.17-kg billiard ball is rolling down a pool table with an initial speed of 4.5 m/s. As it travels, it loses some of its energy as heat. The ball slows down to 3.8 m/s and then collides head-on with a second billiard ball of equal mass. The first billiard ball completely stops and the second one rolls away with a velocity of 3.8 m/s. Assume the first billiard ball is the system. Calculate q.

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Open Question
A 100-W lightbulb is placed in a cylinder equipped with a moveable piston. The lightbulb is turned on for 0.015 hour, and the assembly expands from an initial volume of 0.85 L to a final volume of 5.88 L against an external pressure of 1.0 atm. Use the wattage of the lightbulb and the time it is on to calculate ΔE in joules (assume that the cylinder and lightbulb assembly is the system and assume two significant figures). Calculate w. Calculate q.