Answer the following question: Ethanol, C2H5OH, is considered clean fuel because it burns in oxygen to produce carbon dioxide and water with few trace pollutants. If 150.0 g of H2O are produced during the combustion of ethanol, how many grams of ethanol were present at the beginning of the reaction?

127.88 grams of ethanol were present at the beginning of the reaction

Explanation:

Firstly, let's make the combustion reaction:

C₂H₅OH + 3O₂ → 2CO₂ + 3H₂O

By 1 mol of ethanol, you can make 3 mole of water.

Mole of water = Water mass / Molar mass

150g / 18g/m = 8.3 mole

3 mole of water came from 1 mol of ethanol

8.3 mole came from (8.3.1) / 3 = 2.78 mole of ethanol

Molar mass ethanol = 46 g/m

Mole. molar mass = mass

2.78 m. 46g/m = 127.88 g