12.0 g of carbon reacts with 32.0 g of oxygen to form 44.0 g of Co2. if we react 20.0 g of oxygen with 20.0 g of carbon,how many grams of carbon will be used up?..... i have no clue where to start... can u just tell me the steps to solve similar problems like this

The ratio of C to O2 has been given as 12/32=3/8

So if you have 20g of O2, how much C would have been used up? Calculate then how much C would be left.

Sure! To solve this problem, you can use the concept of stoichiometry, which involves using balanced chemical equations and the principle of conservation of mass. Here are the steps to solve problems like this:

Step 1: Write the balanced chemical equation:
First, you need to write the balanced chemical equation for the reaction. In this case, the balanced equation for the reaction between carbon (C) and oxygen (O2) to form carbon dioxide (CO2) is:

C + O2 -> CO2

Step 2: Determine the molar masses:
Next, you need to determine the molar masses of carbon (C), oxygen (O2), and carbon dioxide (CO2). Carbon has a molar mass of 12.01 g/mol, oxygen has a molar mass of 16.00 g/mol, and carbon dioxide has a molar mass of 44.01 g/mol.

Step 3: Convert given masses to moles:
Convert the given masses of oxygen and carbon to moles by dividing each mass by its respective molar mass. For example, for 20.0 g of oxygen, you would calculate:

moles of O2 = mass of O2 / molar mass of O2
moles of O2 = 20.0 g / 16.00 g/mol = 1.25 mol of O2

Similarly, calculate moles of carbon using its molar mass.

Step 4: Determine the stoichiometric ratio:
Examine the balanced chemical equation and determine the stoichiometric ratio between the reactants and products. In this case, the ratio between carbon and oxygen is 1:1. This means that one mole of carbon reacts with one mole of oxygen to produce one mole of carbon dioxide.

Step 5: Use the stoichiometric ratio to find the moles of carbon:
Using the stoichiometric ratio, determine the moles of carbon that react with the given moles of oxygen. Since the ratio is 1:1, the moles of carbon will be the same as the moles of oxygen. Thus, 1.25 moles of carbon will be used up.

Step 6: Convert moles of carbon to grams:
Finally, convert the moles of carbon back to grams using its molar mass. Multiply the moles of carbon by its molar mass, which will give you the mass of carbon used up. In this case, you would calculate:

mass of carbon = moles of carbon * molar mass of carbon
mass of carbon = 1.25 mol * 12.01 g/mol = 15.01 g

Therefore, if you react 20.0 g of oxygen with 20.0 g of carbon, approximately 15.01 g of carbon will be used up.