Textbook Question
An automobile gasoline tank holds 42 kg of gasoline. When the gasoline burns, 168 kg of oxygen is consumed, and carbon dioxide and water are produced. What is the total combined mass of carbon dioxide and water that is produced?
2. Atoms & Elements
Law of Conservation of Mass
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Which process removes carbon from the atmosphere, demonstrating the Law of Conservation of Mass?
A
Photosynthesis
B
Combustion
C
Decomposition
D
Respiration
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand the Law of Conservation of Mass, which states that mass is neither created nor destroyed in a chemical reaction. This means the mass of the reactants equals the mass of the products.
Identify the processes listed: Photosynthesis, Combustion, Decomposition, and Respiration. Each of these processes involves chemical reactions that either add or remove carbon from the atmosphere.
Consider Photosynthesis: Plants take in carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere and water (H2O) from the soil to produce glucose (C6H12O6) and oxygen (O2). This process removes carbon from the atmosphere.
Analyze Combustion: This process involves burning carbon-based fuels, which releases carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere, thus adding carbon rather than removing it.
Evaluate Decomposition and Respiration: Both processes release carbon dioxide (CO2) back into the atmosphere as organic matter breaks down or as organisms breathe, respectively. Therefore, they do not remove carbon from the atmosphere.
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