What is the mass percentage of carbon (C) in methane (CH4)? (The molar mass of carbon is approximately 12 g/mol.)

The mass percentage of carbon (C) in methane (CH4) can be calculated by considering the mass of carbon in relation to the total mass of methane. Methane is composed of one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms. The molar mass of carbon is approximately 12 g/mol, while the molar mass of hydrogen is approximately 1 g/mol. To find the mass percentage of carbon, we need to calculate the mass of carbon in one molecule of methane and divide it by the total mass of methane. The molar mass of methane can be calculated as follows: (1 x molar mass of carbon) + (4 x molar mass of hydrogen) = (1 x 12 g/mol) + (4 x 1 g/mol) = 12 g/mol + 4 g/mol = 16 g/mol Now, let's calculate the mass of carbon in one molecule of methane: (1 x molar mass of carbon) = (1 x 12 g/mol) = 12 g/mol To find the mass percentage, divide the mass of carbon by the total mass of methane and multiply by 100: (mass of carbon / total mass of methane) x 100 = (12 g/mol / 16 g/mol) x 100 = (0.75) x 100 = 75% Therefore, the mass percentage of carbon in methane is 75%.