Question #7fcaa

1 Answer
Oct 26, 2016

The first step in the process is converting to the standard units for us to use in the later calculations.

which are,

Litres for volume (L)
Kilopascals for pressure (kPa)
Kelvin for temperature (K)

So to convert from cm3 to Litres which is 1000 cm3

so,

20cm30.02L of gaseous hydrocarbon.
60cm30.06L of carbon (iv) oxide (CO2)
40cm30.04L of water vapour

so since all volumes are measured at the same temperature and pressure we can assume standard temperature and pressure, STP which is 0 degrees celsius and 100Kpa.

so what has occurred is a combustion reaction following the general formula,

hydrocarbon + O2CO2+H2O

and since it is in excess oxygen we can assume it has reached completion (ie there is no more Hydrocarbons left).
There is also no other substances produced so we can assume that they are not present in our hydrocarbon and that all H, and C produced came from our hydrocarbon.

this uses the formula n=V22.71

so to work out H,

n(H2O)=0.0422.71

n(H2O)=1.76134103mol

n(H)=2n(H2O)

n(H)=21.76134103

n(H)=3.523103mol

now C,

n(CO2)=0.0622.71

n(CO2)=2.642103mol

n(CO2)=n(C)

n(C)=2.642103mol

leaving us with,

n(H)=3.523103mol , n(C)=2.642103mol

n(hydrocarbon)=0.0222.71

n(hydrocarbon)=8.81104mol

So now without mass, we have to use molar ratios to work out how many times of our empirical formula is our molecular formula. we will use x as this factor.

n(C)=xn(hydrocarbon)

x=2.6421038.81104

x=3

n(H)=yn(hydrocarbon)

y=3.5231038.81104

y=4

leaving us with a molecular formula of,

C3H4

which could be Propyne or Cyclopropene etc.