When coal is burned, the sulfer it contains is converted into sulfur dioxide. Th

Question

When coal is burned, the sulfer it contains is converted into sulfur dioxide. The SO2 is a serious pollutant, so it needs to be removed before it escapes from the stack of a coal fired plant. ONe way to remove the SO2 is to add limestone, which contains calcium carbonate, CaCO3, to the coal before it is burned. The heat of the burning coal converts the CaCO3 to calcium oxide, CaO. The calcium oxide reacts with the sulfur dioxide in the following reaction: 2CaO+2SO2+O2 > 2CaSO4

The solid calcium sulfate does not escape from the stack as the gaseous sulfur dioxide would. What mass of calcium sulfate forms for each 1.00 Mg of SO2 removed by this technique?

Explanation / Answer

2CaO+2SO2+O2 > 2CaSO4

1 mole of CaSO4 is formed for 1 mole of SO2.

moles of SO2 removed = wt/MW = 0.001gm/64 = 0.000015625 moles.

=> moles of CaSO4 = moles of SO2 removed= 0.000015625 moles.

mw OF CaSO4 = 136gms/mole

wt of CaSO4 formed = Mwt * moles= 136 gms/mole * 0.000015625 moles. = 0.002125 gms.

wt of CaSO4 formed = 2.125 Mg.

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