What is the percentage, by mass, of carbon (C) in coal when approximated by the formula C135H96O9NS?

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To find the percentage by mass of carbon in the coal represented by the formula C135H96O9NS, you first need to determine the molar mass of the entire compound and the molar mass of just the carbon present within that formula.

For the compound C135H96O9NS:

Calculate the molar mass of each element:

Carbon (C): 12.01 g/mol × 135 = 1621.35 g/mol
Hydrogen (H): 1.008 g/mol × 96 = 96.768 g/mol
Oxygen (O): 16.00 g/mol × 9 = 144.00 g/mol
Nitrogen (N): 14.01 g/mol × 1 = 14.01 g/mol
Sulfur (S): 32.07 g/mol × 1 = 32.07 g/mol

Now, sum these values to get the total molar mass of the compound:

Total molar mass = 1621.35 + 96.768 + 144.00 + 14.01 + 32.07 = 1908.14 g/mol