The total number of moles of gas in the atmosphere is 1.8 x 1020. As you\'ve lea

Question

The total number of moles of gas in the atmosphere is 1.8 x 1020. As you've learned, the concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere is now ~400 parts per million. This means 400 out of every million molecules of gas in the atmosphere are CO2. Based on this information, calculate the total number of moles of CO2 in the atmosphere. Carbon's mass is 12 g per mol. Based on your previous answer, calculate the total mass of carbon (in carbon dioxide) in the atmosphere. We usually express pool and fluxes of carbon in gigatons (or gigatonnes). This represents 1 billion metric tonnes, and a metric tonne is 1000 kg. (Note that this is ~2200 lbs and so is close to the 'ton' we use in the US, which is 2000 lbs.) Convert the total mass of carbon in carbon dioxide (in the atmosphere) to gigatons.

Explanation / Answer

Total no. of moles of gas is 1.8*1020

Total no. of molecules in these moles = avogadro no. * 1.8* 1020 => 6.023*1023 *1.8.*1020

=> 1.08 *1044molecules

out of it, 400/106 is CO2

then,

= (400/106) * 1.08 *1044 molecules of CO2

=> 4.33 * 1040  molecules of CO2

and total number of moles of CO2 is

= 4.33 * 1044/ 6.023 *1023

=> 7.2* 1020 moles of CO2

1 mole of CO2 contains 12 g of C, 2* 16 g of O , since,Total mass for 1 mole = 44 grams

mass of C in 7.2* 1020 mole is

(12/44)* 7.2 *1021 grams of C => 1.96* 1015 tonnes => 1.96* 103   billion metric tonnes

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