A sample of propane, C3H8, contains 15.1 moles of carbon atoms. How many total moles of atoms does the sample contain?
well, it has 8/3 that many atoms of hydrogen ...
To determine the total moles of atoms in the sample of propane (C3H8), we need to consider the molecular formula of propane and calculate the total number of moles of atoms.
The molecular formula of propane (C3H8) tells us that there are 3 carbon (C) atoms and 8 hydrogen (H) atoms in each molecule of propane.
Given that there are 15.1 moles of carbon atoms in the sample, we can calculate the number of moles of propane in the sample using the ratio of carbon atoms to propane molecules.
1 mole of propane (C3H8) contains 3 moles of carbon atoms because the molecular formula has 3 carbon atoms.
Therefore, we can calculate the number of moles of propane using the formula:
Number of moles of propane = Number of moles of carbon atoms / (Number of moles of carbon atoms per mole of propane)
Number of moles of propane = 15.1 moles of carbon atoms / 3 moles of carbon atoms per mole of propane
Number of moles of propane = 5.033 moles of propane
Now that we know the number of moles of propane, we can calculate the total number of moles of atoms in the sample by adding the moles of carbon atoms and the moles of hydrogen atoms:
Number of moles of carbon atoms = 15.1 moles
Number of moles of hydrogen atoms = (Number of moles of propane) * (Number of hydrogen atoms per mole of propane)
Number of moles of hydrogen atoms = 5.033 moles * 8 moles of hydrogen atoms per mole of propane
Number of moles of hydrogen atoms = 40.264 moles
Finally, we can find the total number of moles of atoms in the sample by adding the moles of carbon atoms and the moles of hydrogen atoms:
Total number of moles of atoms = Number of moles of carbon atoms + Number of moles of hydrogen atoms
Total number of moles of atoms = 15.1 moles + 40.264 moles
Total number of moles of atoms = 55.364 moles
Therefore, the total number of moles of atoms in the sample of propane is 55.364 moles.