Understanding Oxygen Content in Methyl Tert-Butyl Ether (MTBE)

How many moles of oxygen are in a sample of methyl tert-butyl ether?

A chemical engineer has determined by measurements that there are 0.0946 moles of carbon in a sample of methyl tert-butyl ether. Given the chemical formula Ch3OC(CH3)3, how many moles of oxygen are present in the sample?

Answer

The sample of methyl tert-butyl ether has 0.0946 moles of oxygen.

When calculating the amount of oxygen in a sample of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), it is important to consider the chemical formula Ch3OC(CH3)3. Each molecule of MTBE contains one oxygen atom (O) based on the formula. The data provided states that there are 0.0946 moles of carbon (C) in the sample.

Since the ratio of carbon to oxygen in MTBE is 1:1, the amount of oxygen in the sample can be calculated to be 0.0946 moles. Therefore, the sample of methyl tert-butyl ether contains 0.0946 moles of oxygen.

Understanding the mole concept and chemical formulas is essential in determining the composition of compounds accurately. To delve deeper into the concept of moles and chemical formulas, consider exploring additional resources on the topic.