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Ch.4 - Chemical Reactions and Chemical Quantities

Chapter 4, Problem 45b

Consider the reaction: 4 HCl(g) + O2(g) → 2 H2O(g) + 2 Cl2(g) Each molecular diagram represents an initial mixture of reactants. How many molecules of Cl2 form from the reaction mixture that produces the greatest amount of products?

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Hey everyone, we're told that initial mixtures of reactions are depicted in each molecular diagram below. For the following reaction, we have methane plus oxygen, which gets us to water plus carbon dioxide and the reaction make sure that produces the smallest amount of products, how many molecules of carbon dioxide is formed. So looking at our multiple ratios, we can see that for one molecule of carbon dioxide, we have one molecule of methane and we can also see that per one molecule of carbon dioxide. We have two molecules of oxygen and this is all based on our chemical reaction given to us right here. So the theoretical yield of carbon dioxide will be the smaller amount produced from the limiting reactant. So let's first go ahead and look at A. So for A We have two molecules of methane, Which we can see right here, one and 2, and we know that per one molecule of methane, we have one molecule of carbon dioxide. So this produces two molecules of carbon dioxide. Now looking at our oxygen, we can see that we have 1, 2 and three. So we have three molecules of oxygen and we know that per two molecules of oxygen, We produce one molecule of carbon dioxide. So when we calculate this out, we end up with 1.5 molecules of carbon dioxide. So our theoretical yield is going to be 1. molecules of carbon dioxide for A And that's because this is a smaller amount produced. Now let's go ahead and look at B. Now for B, we can see that we have three molecules of methane which is one, two and three, And we have four molecules of oxygen. 1, 2, 3 and four. So we have three molecules of methane and we know that per one molecule of methane we have one molecule of carbon dioxide. When we calculate this out, we end up with three molecules of carbon dioxide. Now for B we also saw that we had four molecules of oxygen and we know that we have two molecules of oxygen, her one molecule of carbon dioxide. So when we calculate this out, we end up with two molecules of carbon dioxide. Now between these 2, 2 is a smaller value. So this will be our theoretical yields. Now let's go ahead and look at sea. Now for see we can see that we have four molecules of methane and we have two molecules of oxygen. Starting with our methane, we have four molecules of methane and we know that we have one molecule of methane per one molecule of carbon dioxide. So when we calculate this out, we end up with four molecules of carbon dioxide, we also saw that we had two molecules of oxygen and we know that we have two molecules of oxygen per one molecule of carbon dioxide. So when we calculate this out, we get one molecule of carbon dioxide which is going to be our theoretical yield. Now looking at these values, it looks like the smallest number of carbon dioxide molecules will be produced from the reaction mixture c with one molecule of carbon dioxide. And this is going to be our final answer. Now, I hope this made sense and let us know if you have any questions.