The mass ratio of carbon to oxygen in carbon dioxide is 3:8. This means that for every 3 grams of carbon, there are 8 grams of oxygen in a sample of carbon dioxide.
Understanding Mass Ratios
The mass ratio refers to the proportion by mass of elements within a compound. In the case of carbon dioxide (CO₂), the mass ratio indicates how much carbon is present compared to oxygen by weight, not necessarily by the number of atoms.
How is this Ratio Determined?
This mass ratio is determined experimentally and is a fundamental property of carbon dioxide. According to the reference, all samples of carbon dioxide contain carbon and oxygen in the mass ratio of 3:8.
Significance of the Ratio
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Constant Composition: This ratio is constant for all samples of carbon dioxide, irrespective of their source or method of preparation. This is due to the law of definite proportions, which states that a chemical compound always contains the same elements in the same proportion by mass.
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Stoichiometry: The mass ratio is important in stoichiometry, which deals with the quantitative relationships between reactants and products in chemical reactions. It helps to calculate the mass of reactants and products involved in a chemical reaction where carbon dioxide is involved.
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Chemical Analysis: Understanding the mass ratio helps in quantitative analysis when determining the purity or composition of samples. For instance, you can use this to verify if a given compound is pure carbon dioxide.
Example
Here's an example of how to use this ratio:
Let's say you have a sample of carbon dioxide containing 15 grams of carbon. Using the 3:8 ratio, you can calculate the mass of oxygen in that sample:
- Ratio Setup: If 3 parts of mass is for carbon then 8 parts is for oxygen, so the ratio can be represented as 3/8.
- Calculate the oxygen mass using the ratio:
- (Mass of carbon)/(Mass of Oxygen) = 3/8
- 15/(Mass of Oxygen) = 3/8
- Mass of oxygen = (15 * 8) / 3 = 40 grams.
Therefore, in that sample, you would have 40 grams of oxygen.
Summary of Mass Ratio of Carbon Dioxide
| Element | Mass Ratio |
|---|---|
| Carbon | 3 |
| Oxygen | 8 |
