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A comment on For First Time Since 1800s, Britain Goes a Day Without Burning Coal for Power. Parent comment
Very easily.
C + O₂ → CO₂
Carbon has atomic mass 12, oxygen 16.
12 + 32 → 44
So to produce 10kg of CO₂ we need only burn 2.7kg of coal.
This is why burning methane gives more heat for the same amount of carbon dioxide − we get the energy from producing water as well:
CH₄ + 2O₂ → CO₂ + 2H₂O
We have the same C → O=C=O, but we also have two sets of H-O-H bonds giving energy.
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Very easily.
C + O₂ → CO₂
Carbon has atomic mass 12, oxygen 16.
12 + 32 → 44
So to produce 10kg of CO₂ we need only burn 2.7kg of coal.
This is why burning methane gives more heat for the same amount of carbon dioxide − we get the energy from producing water as well:
CH₄ + 2O₂ → CO₂ + 2H₂O
We have the same C → O=C=O, but we also have two sets of H-O-H bonds giving energy.