What is the mass percent of carbon in carbon monoxide (CO)?

• A. 50.0%
• B. 42.9%
• C. 57.1%
• D. 28.6%

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the elements present in carbon monoxide (CO), which are carbon (C) and oxygen (O).
2. Find the atomic masses of carbon and oxygen from the periodic table: carbon is approximately 12.0 g/mol and oxygen is approximately 16.0 g/mol.
3. Calculate the molar mass of carbon monoxide by adding the atomic masses of carbon and oxygen: \(M_{CO} = M_C + M_O\).
4. Calculate the mass percent of carbon in CO using the formula: \(\text{Mass \% of C} = \left( \frac{M_C}{M_{CO}} \right) \times 100\%\).
5. Substitute the values into the formula and simplify to find the mass percent of carbon in carbon monoxide.