Calculate the mass of H2O produced by metabolism of 1.2 kg of fat, assuming the fat consists entirely of tristearin (C57 H110 06), a typical animal fat, and assuming that during metabolism, tristearin reacts with O2 to form only COz and H2 O Express your answer using two significant figures.

1 answer

To calculate the mass of water (H₂O) produced from the metabolism of 1.2 kg of tristearin (C₅₇H₁₁₀O₆), we will follow these steps:

  1. Determine the molar mass of tristearin (C₅₇H₁₁₀O₆).

    • Carbon (C): 12.01 g/mol × 57 = 684.57 g/mol
    • Hydrogen (H): 1.008 g/mol × 110 = 110.88 g/mol
    • Oxygen (O): 16.00 g/mol × 6 = 96.00 g/mol

    Molar mass of tristearin = 684.57 + 110.88 + 96.00 = 891.45 g/mol

  2. Calculate the number of moles of tristearin in 1.2 kg (1200 g).

    \[ \text{Moles of tristearin} = \frac{1200 , \text{g}}{891.45 , \text{g/mol}} \approx 1.344 , \text{mol} \]

  3. Write the balanced equation for the metabolism of tristearin:

    The balanced metabolic equation is:

    \[ C_{57}H_{110}O_6 + O_2 \rightarrow CO_2 + H_2O \]

    The complete balanced equation will be:

    \[ C_{57}H_{110}O_6 + 86O_2 \rightarrow 57CO_2 + 55H_2O \]

  4. Determine the moles of H₂O produced:

    From the equation, 1 mole of C₅₇H₁₁₀O₆ produces 55 moles of H₂O. Thus:

    \[ \text{Moles of H₂O produced} = 1.344 , \text{mol} \times 55 = 73.92 , \text{mol} \]

  5. Calculate the mass of H₂O produced:

    The molar mass of H₂O is:

    • Hydrogen (H): 1.008 g/mol × 2 = 2.016 g/mol
    • Oxygen (O): 16.00 g/mol × 1 = 16.00 g/mol

    Molar mass of H₂O = 2.016 + 16.00 = 18.016 g/mol

    Now we can find the total mass of H₂O produced:

    \[ \text{Mass of H₂O} = 73.92 , \text{mol} \times 18.016 , \text{g/mol} \approx 1333.67 , \text{g} \]

  6. Convert to kg and round to two significant figures:

    \[ 1333.67 , \text{g} = 1.334 , \text{kg} \]

    Rounded to two significant figures, the mass of H₂O produced is:

    \[ \boxed{1.3} , \text{kg} \]