Is 1L of petrol made from heptane?

In summary, according to the course book, 1 L of gasoline (heptane) has a density of 790g/L, meaning that 1 L of petroleum has a mass of 790g. This was used in calculations to determine the amount of CO2 produced by 1L of gasoline, which matched the book's answer of 2.4kg. The assumption that 1L of petroleum contains 790g of heptane may not be entirely accurate, but it is close to the actual composition. Overall, there is no need to speculate as the density already provides the necessary information.
  • #1
supernova1203
210
0
The course book tells us that 1 L of gasoline(heptane) has the density of 790g/L

which it says, means that, 1 L of petrolium has a mass of 790g.
At this point i made the assumption that 1L of petrolium has a 790g of heptane.
I did this because 1L weighs 1kg

I then used it in my calculations(stoichiometry) to determine how much CO2 is produced by 1L of gasoline, answer came out to be the same as the book, at 2.4kg

my question is, does the speculation i used in determining that 1L of petrolium has 790 g of heptane make sense? Given the fact that the book states 1L of petrolium weighs 790g(rather confusing statement as far as I am concerned)
 
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  • #2
I don't see where your problem is. Density of 790g/L MEANS that 1L weights 790g. There is nothing to assume here.

You assumed that gasoline is a pure heptane, which is not exactly correct, but relatively close to the reality.
 

1. What is chemical density?

Chemical density is a measure of the amount of mass per unit volume of a substance. It is a physical property that describes how tightly packed the molecules of a substance are.

2. How is chemical density measured?

Chemical density is typically measured in units of mass per volume, such as grams per cubic centimeter (g/cm³). It can be determined experimentally by measuring the mass and volume of a substance and then dividing the mass by the volume.

3. How does chemical density differ from other types of density?

Chemical density specifically refers to the density of a chemical substance, whereas other types of density, such as bulk density or specific gravity, can refer to the density of any material, including mixtures or compounds.

4. Why is chemical density important in science?

Chemical density is an important property in science because it can help identify and characterize substances. It can also provide valuable information about the behavior and properties of substances, such as their solubility or reactivity.

5. How does temperature affect chemical density?

Generally, as temperature increases, the density of a substance decreases. This is due to the fact that molecules have more energy at higher temperatures, causing them to move farther apart and take up more space. However, there are some exceptions to this rule, such as water, which has its highest density at 4°C.

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