How much carbon is there in common carbon sources?
- Thread starter tonizzy22
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Just doing some quick calculations, I estimate that 5% vinegar should have appx. 21.09 PPT carbon by weight, and 40% ethanol should have appx. 180.59 PPT carbon by weight. Since the "percentage" of both vinegar and ethanol are by volume rather than weight, and are dependent on temperature, the exact numbers will vary depending on the temperature.
Since you asked, here's the math I did:
Vinegar: Acetic acid has a molecular weight of 60.05, and contains two carbon atoms. Each carbon atom has an atomic mass of 12.011, so 2 * 12.011 = 24.022. Therefore, the carbon makes up 24.022 / 60.05 = 40.00 % of the acetic acid. Acetic acid has a density of 1.049 g/ml (unspecified temperature). Pure water at 20C has a density of 0.9982 g/ml. A 5% by volume solution of acetic acid will have 5% * 1.049 acetic acid in 95% * 0.9982 water, making the proportion by weight = (5% * 1.049) / (5% * 1.049 + 95% * 0.9982) = 5.273%. Of that 5.273%, only 40% of it is carbon, so the carbon content is 5.273% * 40% = 2.109%, which = 21.09 PPT.
Ethanol: Ethanol has a molecular weight of 46.08644, and contains two carbon atoms. Each carbon atom has an atomic mass of 12.011, so 2 * 12.011 = 24.022. Therefore, the carbon makes up 24.022 / 46.08644 = 52.124 % of the ethanol. Ethanol has a density of 0.78945 g/ml at 20C. Pure water at 20C has a density of 0.9982 g/ml. A 40% by volume solution of ethanol will have 40% * 0.78945 ethanol in 60% * 0.9982 water, making the proportion by weight = (40% * 0.78945) / (40% * 0.78945 + 60% * 0.9982) = 34.6455%. Of that 34.6455%, only 52.124% of it is carbon, so the carbon content is 34.6455% * 52.124% = 18.059%, which = 180.59 PPT.
I may be over simplifying the conversion of % by volume to % by weight, but you get the idea, and for the purposes of the discussion, these calculations should suffice. I hope this helps, and that I didn't make any stupid mistakes.
Exercise for the reader: What is the carbon content in PPT of a saturated sucrose solution at 20C? EDIT: Note I am calculating PPT rather than PPM. Multiply by 1000 for PPM.
Since you asked, here's the math I did:
Vinegar: Acetic acid has a molecular weight of 60.05, and contains two carbon atoms. Each carbon atom has an atomic mass of 12.011, so 2 * 12.011 = 24.022. Therefore, the carbon makes up 24.022 / 60.05 = 40.00 % of the acetic acid. Acetic acid has a density of 1.049 g/ml (unspecified temperature). Pure water at 20C has a density of 0.9982 g/ml. A 5% by volume solution of acetic acid will have 5% * 1.049 acetic acid in 95% * 0.9982 water, making the proportion by weight = (5% * 1.049) / (5% * 1.049 + 95% * 0.9982) = 5.273%. Of that 5.273%, only 40% of it is carbon, so the carbon content is 5.273% * 40% = 2.109%, which = 21.09 PPT.
Ethanol: Ethanol has a molecular weight of 46.08644, and contains two carbon atoms. Each carbon atom has an atomic mass of 12.011, so 2 * 12.011 = 24.022. Therefore, the carbon makes up 24.022 / 46.08644 = 52.124 % of the ethanol. Ethanol has a density of 0.78945 g/ml at 20C. Pure water at 20C has a density of 0.9982 g/ml. A 40% by volume solution of ethanol will have 40% * 0.78945 ethanol in 60% * 0.9982 water, making the proportion by weight = (40% * 0.78945) / (40% * 0.78945 + 60% * 0.9982) = 34.6455%. Of that 34.6455%, only 52.124% of it is carbon, so the carbon content is 34.6455% * 52.124% = 18.059%, which = 180.59 PPT.
I may be over simplifying the conversion of % by volume to % by weight, but you get the idea, and for the purposes of the discussion, these calculations should suffice. I hope this helps, and that I didn't make any stupid mistakes.
Exercise for the reader: What is the carbon content in PPT of a saturated sucrose solution at 20C? EDIT: Note I am calculating PPT rather than PPM. Multiply by 1000 for PPM.
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Randy Holmes-Farley
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What us the reason behind the question?
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FWIW, in case it is of any interest in this context, the first Reef Question of the day related to the energy available from both ethanol (vodka) and acetic acid (vinegar):
https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/re...arley/172883-reef-chemistry-question-day.html
https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/re...arley/172883-reef-chemistry-question-day.html
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tonizzy22
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Thanks for the replies. I only knew how many mL of vinegar I was adding but not the amount or concentration of carbon thats being added. Currently I dose vinager along with running bio pellets.
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FWIW, it isn't really the amount of carbon that is the most important thing, but how easily metabolized it is and how much energy organisms get from it. A Brute trash can is mostly organic carbon, but is not readily metabolized.
Vinegar is typically 5% acetic acid by weight, so it contains 50 grams of organic matter per liter.
Vinegar is typically 5% acetic acid by weight, so it contains 50 grams of organic matter per liter.
