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Ch.5 - Thermochemistry
Chapter 5, Problem 82c

Methanol (CH3OH) is used as a fuel in race cars. (c) Calculate the heat produced by combustion per liter of methanol. Methanol has a density of 0.791 g/mL.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Combustion Reaction

A combustion reaction is a chemical process in which a substance (usually a hydrocarbon) reacts with oxygen to produce heat, light, carbon dioxide, and water. In the case of methanol (CH3OH), the combustion reaction can be represented as CH3OH + 1.5 O2 β†’ CO2 + 2 H2O, releasing energy. Understanding this reaction is crucial for calculating the heat produced during combustion.
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Heat of Combustion

The heat of combustion is the amount of energy released when a specific amount of fuel is burned completely in oxygen. It is typically expressed in kilojoules per mole (kJ/mol). For methanol, this value can be found in tables of thermodynamic data, and it is essential for determining the total heat produced per liter of methanol during combustion.
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Density and Volume Conversion

Density is defined as mass per unit volume and is crucial for converting between the mass of a substance and its volume. In this case, the density of methanol (0.791 g/mL) allows us to calculate the mass of methanol in a given volume (e.g., 1 liter). This conversion is necessary to relate the volume of methanol used to the heat produced during its combustion.
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