Answer: Molar mass of carbon monoxide (CO) is 28.01 g/mol.

Molar Mass of Carbon Monoxide

The chemical formula of Carbon Monoxide is CO. The molar mass of Carbon Monoxide is calculated by adding the molar masses of its constituent atoms— carbon(C) and oxygen (O).

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless gas that is toxic to humans when inhaled. It is produced by the incomplete combustion of carbon-containing fuels such as gasoline, coal, and wood. Carbon monoxide is widely used in chemical industries, particularly in metal production and as a fuel.

This guide will walk you through the step-by-step calculation of the molar mass of carbon monoxide and explain its relevance in scientific and industrial applications.

Understanding Molar Mass

Molar mass is the mass of one mole of a substance, expressed in grams per mole (g/mol). A mole represents \(6.022 \times 10^{23}\) particles, such as molecules, atoms, or ions. Calculating the molar mass of a compound is essential for converting between the mass and the number of moles, which is crucial in chemical reactions.

To calculate the molar mass of carbon monoxide (CO), we need to account for the molar masses of carbon (C) and oxygen (O), since carbon monoxide is made up of one carbon atom and one oxygen atom.

Molar Masses of Carbon and Oxygen

Here are the molar masses of the elements present in carbon monoxide:

  • Carbon (C): The molar mass of carbon is approximately 12.01 g/mol.
  • Oxygen (O): The molar mass of oxygen is approximately 16.00 g/mol.

Since carbon monoxide (CO) contains one carbon atom and one oxygen atom, we will use these values to calculate its molar mass.

Formula for Calculating Molar Mass

The molar mass of a compound is calculated using the following formula:

\[ \text{Molar Mass of Compound} = \sum (\text{Number of Atoms} \times \text{Molar Mass of Element}) \]

For carbon monoxide (CO), the formula becomes:

\[ \text{Molar Mass of CO} = (1 \times \text{Molar Mass of C}) + (1 \times \text{Molar Mass of O}) \]

Step-by-Step Calculation

Let’s now calculate the molar mass of carbon monoxide step by step:

Step 1: Multiply the molar mass of carbon (C) by the number of carbon atoms in carbon monoxide:

\[ 1 \times 12.01 \, \text{g/mol} = 12.01 \, \text{g/mol} \]

Step 2: Multiply the molar mass of oxygen (O) by the number of oxygen atoms in carbon monoxide:

\[ 1 \times 16.00 \, \text{g/mol} = 16.00 \, \text{g/mol} \]

Step 3: Add the values from steps 1 and 2 to find the total molar mass of carbon monoxide:

\[ \text{Molar Mass of CO} = 12.01 \, \text{g/mol} + 16.00 \, \text{g/mol} \]

\[ \text{Molar Mass of CO} = 28.01 \, \text{g/mol} \]

Final Molar Mass of Carbon Monoxide

The molar mass of carbon monoxide (CO) is approximately 28.01 g/mol. This value is critical for industrial applications, such as in the production of chemicals and metal processing, as well as for calculating environmental emissions and understanding its behavior in the atmosphere.

Conclusion

The molar mass of carbon monoxide (CO) is 28.01 g/mol, calculated by summing the molar masses of one carbon atom and one oxygen atom.