11/30/07

Photosynthesis Calculations

Q.
In photosynthesis, CO2 (g) combines with H2O (g) to form glucose and oxygen. How many moles of glucose would be produced if a) 5 mol of CO2 (g) were used? b) 3 mol of H2O (g) were used? c) 18 mol of O2 (g) were released. My teacher told me to set this up as a math ratio to figure it out: 6 mol CO2 (g) = 5 mol CO2 (g) 1 mol C6H12O6 (s) ? C6H12O6 (s)
A.
The chemical equation is:

6CO2 + 6H2O --–> C6H12O6 + 6O2

(a) (5 mol CO2)( 1 mol C6H12O6 / 6 mol CO2) = 5/6 moles C6H12O6 or 0.833 mol CO2
(Moles CO2 canceling out, mole C6H12O6 remains)

(b) (3 mol. H2O)(1 mol.C6H12O6 / 6 mol.H2O) = 0.5moles C6H12O6

(c) (18 mol O2)(1 mol C6H12O6 / 6 mol O2) = 3 moles C6H12O6

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