Question #3331e

One cannot possibly answer this question without a balanced chemical equation to go by.

The general idea is that the stoichiometric coefficients present in a balanced chemical equation tell you the numbers of moles that take part in the reaction for the reactants and the products.

Take, for example, this balanced chemical equation

#"C"_ ((s)) + "O"_ (2(g)) -> "CO"_ (2(g))#

Here #1# mole of carbon reacts with #1# mole of oxygen gas to produce #1# mole of carbon dioxide. You can say that carbon and oxygen gas react in a #1:1# mole ratio because equal numbers of moles of each reactant are consumed by the reaction.

Similarly, you have a #1:1# mole ratio between oxygen gas and carbon dioxide because the reaction produces #1# mole of the former for every #1# mole of the latter that reacts.

In your case, this would mean

#23 color(red)(cancel(color(black)("moles O"_2))) * "1 mole CO"_2/(1color(red)(cancel(color(black)("moles O"_2)))) = "23 moles CO"_2#

Another example would be

#"CH"_ (4(g)) + color(blue)(2)"O"_ (2(g)) -> "CO"_ (2(g)) + 2"H"_ 2"O"_ ((l))#

This time, you have a #color(blue)(2):1# mole ratio between oxygen gas and carbon dioxide because the reaction consumes #color(blue)(2)# mole of the former and produces #1# mole of the latter.

In your case, this would mean

#23 color(red)(cancel(color(black)("moles O"_2))) * "1 mole CO"_2/(color(blue)(2)color(red)(cancel(color(black)("moles O"_2)))) = 23/2color(white)(.)"moles CO"_2#

So, make sure that you're working with a balanced chemical equation. Look at the stoichiometric coefficients for #"O"_2# and #"CO"_2#.

The ratio that exists between these coefficients will give you the mole ratio that exists between the two chemical species.

Finally, set up the mole ratio as a conversion factor and calculate the number of moles of carbon dioxide produced by #23# moles of oxygen gas.