QUESTION: Calculate the mass of CO2 produced by a small car in one year?


Smart (Mercedes-Benz). Motor 1.0 L, 70 hp, mass: 830 kg
DATA and INFORMATION
Data Fuel consumption: 7.0 L / 100 km
Distance: 12 000 km / year
Gasoline: Octane (density = 0.702 g / mL)
  • Combustion is a reaction with oxygen.
  • The complete combustion of octane produces carbon dioxide and water
  • Assume the %yield of the reaction to be 100%
SOLUTION (All the calculations are for 1 year)
Balanced chemical equation 2C8H18(l)  +  25O2(g)  →  16CO2(g)  +  18H2O(g)
Volume of octane consumed
  volume octane = 12 000 km X   7.0 L
100 km
  = 840 L    
 
Mass of octane consumed
 mass octane = 840 L X   702 g
L
  = 5.90 x 105 g    
 
Mole of octane consumed
 Mole octane = 5.90 x 105 g X   1 mole octane
114.2 g octane
  = 5.17x103 mole    
 
Mass of CO2 produced
 mass CO2 = 5.17x103 mole octane X   16 mol CO2
2 mol C8H18
  X   44.01 g CO2
mole CO2
  = 1.82x106 g  or 1.8 ton CO2  
 
ANSWER: 1.8 ton CO2 / year is produced by a small car, which is more than twice the mass of the car itself.