The Sources of Carbon Compounds

An ever-increasing amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) is found in the atmosphere and the oceans, apparently as a result of continuing combustion of fossil fuels and normal life processes. Additionally, much of the biosphere contains carbon locked in plants (as carbohydrates [Chapter 11] and related materials about which you will learn). However, most of the compounds of carbon in use today in our technology are obtained either directly from coal or from petroleum—thought by many to have arisen by application of heat and pressure to the decaying products of earlier biosphere inhabitants or by laboratory modification of those materials. 

Petroleum and coal consist mainly of compounds that contain only carbon and hydrogen. These materials are called hydrocarbons. While the reason for the name should appear clear, it is hoped you might ask how it is known that only hydrogen and carbon are present. 

The complete combustion of a hydrocarbon in an oxygen atmosphere generates carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O). If all of the carbon is converted to CO2 and aU of the hydrogen to H2O, and if there are no other elements besides carbon and hydrogen present in the hydrocarbon, then, as matter is conserved, the amount of carbon in the CO2 plus the amount of hydrogen in the water must equal the amount of carbon and hydrogen, respectively, in the hydrocarbon combusted. 

Problem LL A pure material is isolated from petroleum and 5.8 mg of the material is burned in a stream of oxygen to yield 17.6mg of carbon dioxide (CO2 and 9.0mg of water (H2O). 

Foundations of Organic Chemistry Unity and Diversity of Structures, Pathways, and Reactions, First Edition. David R. Dalton. 

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