Question
(b) The combustion of petrol in car engines produces the pollutant nitrogen monoxide. Give an equation for a reaction that removes nitrogen monoxide in a catalytic converter. __ (c) Sulfur dioxide is produced in the combustion of fossil fuels. The total emissions of sulfur dioxide in the UK have fallen dramatically since 1970. Sulfur dioxide is now removed from the flue gases in power stations by reaction with calcium oxide. CaO+SO_(2)arrow CaSO_(3) In 1970, the total UK emissions of sulfur dioxide were 6.49 million tonnes (1tonne=1000kg) Calculate the mass, in kilograms, of calcium oxide needed to react with this mass of sulfur dioxide. Give your answer in standard form.
Answer
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Ian
Master · Tutor for 5 years
Answer
(b) 2NO + 2CO → N2 + 2CO2,(c) m(CaO) = m(SO2) * MW(CaO)/MW(SO2), given that MW(CaO) = 56 g/mol , and MW(SO2)= 64 g/mol, substituting values gives mass of CaO as 0.875 x 6.49e9 Kg = 5.68e9 Kg or 5.68 x 10^9 kg in standard form.
Explanation
Part (b) asks for a reaction that removes nitrogen monoxide - a pollutant produced during combustion of petrol in card engines - in a catalytic converter. A catalytic converter works by facilitating a reaction between nitrogen monoxide (NO) and carbon monoxide (CO) to produce nitrogen (N2) and carbon dioxide (CO2). Thus, the equation would be `2NO + 2CO → N2 + 2CO2`.Part (c) involves a stoichiometry concept. In the provided equation, one mole of calcium oxide (CaO) reacts with one mole of sulfur dioxide (SO2) to produce one mole of calcium sulfite (CaSO3). In other words, the molar ratio (reaction ratio) is 1:1:1. To find the amount of CaO needed, we first need to find the molar mass of SO2. Using the periodic table, we see the atomic masses of S and O to be approximately 32 and 16, respectively. SO2 = 64 g/mol. Therefore, 1 mol SO2 = 64 grams SO2. We were given the total UK emissions of SO2 to be 6.49 million tonnes (or 6.49 x 10^9 kg) and we need to convert it into moles and from that find the mass in kilograms of CaO.