High School

Calculate and report the energy released by 1 mole of gasoline and the energy released by 1 mole of diesel in units of kJ. Assume a molecular weight (MW) of 100.2 g/mol for gasoline and 198.1 g/mol for diesel.

Then, compare the energy output of both fuels. Which one has the higher output per mole?

Answer :

Final answer:

To determine the energy released by burning 1 mole of gasoline, 4,408.8 kJ is calculated using a combustion value of 44,000 kJ/kg and a molecular weight of 100.2 g/mol. Similarly, for diesel, the energy released is 8,914.5 kJ using a combustion value of 45,000 kJ/kg and a molecular weight of 198.1 g/mol. Diesel has a higher energy output per mole.

Explanation:

To calculate the energy released by 1 mole of gasoline and diesel, we use the given molecular weights (MW) and the typical combustion energy values per kilogram for these fuels. Given that gasoline has a MW of 100.2 g/mol, we can say that 1 mole of gasoline weighs 100.2 grams. From the reference data, we know that the combustion of gasoline typically releases about 44,000 kJ/kg. Therefore, the energy released by 1 mole of gasoline is:

Energy released (gasoline) = 44,000 kJ/kg × (100.2 g / 1,000 g/kg) = 4,408.8 kJ/mol

Diesel has a MW of 198.1 g/mol. Since diesel releases about 45,000 kJ/kg, the energy released by 1 mole of diesel is:

Energy released (diesel) = 45,000 kJ/kg × (198.1 g / 1,000 g/kg) = 8,914.5 kJ/mol

Comparing the energy outputs, diesel has a higher output per mole compared to gasoline.