The ratio of masses of carbon and oxygen is 3 : 8 and their atomic masses are 12 and 16 respectively in a molecule of carbon dioxide. Calculate the ratio of atoms of carbon and oxygen in the molecule of carbon dioxide.

Explanation

To solve the problem, we need to calculate the ratio of atoms of carbon and oxygen in a molecule of carbon dioxide (CO₂) based on the given mass ratio and atomic masses. Here’s a step-by-step solution:

### Step 1: Identify the given data
- **Mass ratio of carbon to oxygen**: 3 : 8
- **Atomic mass of carbon (C)**: 12 g/mol
- **Atomic mass of oxygen (O)**: 16 g/mol

### Step 2: Convert the mass ratio to the number of moles
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