Calculating the Mass of Oxygen in Carbon Dioxide CO2

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a critical compound with applications ranging from industrial processes to environmental studies. Understanding its composition and the mass of each element within it is essential for various scientific calculations. This article will explain step-by-step how to calculate the mass of oxygen in 88 grams of carbon dioxide (CO2).

Understanding the Molar Composition of CO2

Carbon dioxide is composed of one carbon atom and two oxygen atoms. The molar mass of a molecule is the sum of the molar masses of its constituent atoms. Here's a detailed explanation of how to determine the molar mass of CO2 and the mass of oxygen it contains.

Step-by-Step Calculation

To find the mass of oxygen in 88 grams of CO2, we need to follow these steps:

Step 1: Determine the Molar Mass of CO2

The molar mass of an element is the mass of one mole of its atoms. For carbon dioxide:

Carbon (C): 12.01 g/mol Oxygen (O): 16.00 g/mol, and there are two oxygen atoms in CO2

The molar mass of CO2 is calculated as:

[ text{Molar mass of CO2} 12.01 text{g/mol} 2 times 16.00 text{g/mol} 12.01 text{g/mol} 32.00 text{g/mol} 44.01 text{g/mol} ]

Step 2: Calculate the Percentage Composition of CO2

The percentage composition of an element in a compound is given by the formula:

[ text{Percentage of element} left( frac{text{Mass of element in one mole of compound}}{text{Molar mass of compound}} right) times 100 ]

Applying this to carbon (C) and oxygen (O) in CO2:

Carbon (C): ( frac{12.01 text{g/mol}}{44.01 text{g/mol}} times 100 approx 27.3% ) Oxygen (O): ( frac{32.00 text{g/mol}}{44.01 text{g/mol}} times 100 approx 72.7% )

Step 3: Calculate the Mass of Oxygen in 88 Grams of CO2

Now that we know approximately 72.7% of the mass of CO2 is oxygen, we can calculate the mass of oxygen in 88 grams of CO2:

[ text{Mass of oxygen} 88 text{g} times frac{72.7}{100} 88 text{g} times 0.727 approx 64 text{g} ]

Therefore, the mass of oxygen in 88 grams of CO2 is approximately 64 grams.

Supporting Information and Assumptions

The calculation method described above is based on the assumption that the given mass (88 grams) is pure CO2. If the CO2 sample contains any impurities or is not pure, these factors must be taken into account.

It's important to note that the molar mass of CO2 is 44.01 g/mol, and 88 grams of CO2 corresponds to two moles of CO2. Each mole of CO2 contains two moles of oxygen atoms, which means that in 88 grams of CO2, there are four moles of oxygen atoms. Given that the molar mass of oxygen is 16.00 g/mol, four moles of oxygen atoms weigh 64 grams.

Conclusion

By following these detailed steps and calculations, you can determine the mass of oxygen in any given amount of carbon dioxide. This knowledge is valuable in various scientific and industrial applications, such as in atmospheric studies or chemical engineering processes.