Staying Warm in the Winter
Activity 2

Home Heating Oil *

Two molecular segments (-CH2-) of heating oil (primarily light paraffins) plus three molecules of oxygen will burn to produce two molecules of water, two molecules of carbon dioxide, and heat.


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Molecular equation

Word Equation

Mass equation


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The chart uses a specific gravity for heating oil of approximately 0.9
  1. Using the graph provided, determine the mass of carbon dioxide formed when you use

    1. 20L of heating oil.

    2. 40L of heating oil.

    3. 150L of heating oil.

  2. A typical home might use 800L of heating oil for heating and hot water in a month. What mass of CO2 is produced?

  3. Acquire a heating oil bill. Examine the bill and determine the amount of oil purchased. How much CO2 is produced by the amount of fuel indicated on the bill?

* Footnote: Fossil fuels are a complex blend of hundreds of kinds of hydrocarbon molecules. The molecules and molecular segments which are used in these examples are the most abundant in the fuel being described, and as such, represent a good approximation of the entire combustion process.

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