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Ch.4 - Reactions in Aqueous Solution
Chapter 4, Problem 97a

Consider the following reagents: zinc, copper, mercury (density 13.6 g/mL), silver nitrate solution, nitric acid solution. (a) Given a 500-mL Erlenmeyer flask and a balloon, can you combine two or more of the foregoing reagents to initiate a chemical reaction that will inflate the balloon? Write a balanced chemical equation to represent this process. What is the identity of the substance that inflates the balloon?

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1
Identify the reagents that can react to produce a gas. Consider the metals (zinc, copper, mercury) and the solutions (silver nitrate, nitric acid).
Recall that metals like zinc can react with acids such as nitric acid to produce hydrogen gas or other gases, depending on the reaction conditions.
Consider the reaction of zinc with nitric acid. This reaction typically produces nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) gas, which can inflate a balloon.
Write the balanced chemical equation for the reaction between zinc and nitric acid: \[ \text{Zn} + 4\text{HNO}_3 \rightarrow \text{Zn(NO}_3\text{)}_2 + 2\text{NO}_2 + 2\text{H}_2\text{O} \]
Identify the gas produced in the reaction. In this case, nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) is the gas that inflates the balloon.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Chemical Reactions

A chemical reaction involves the transformation of reactants into products through the breaking and forming of chemical bonds. In this context, combining zinc with an acid, such as nitric acid, can produce hydrogen gas, which is a product that can inflate a balloon. Understanding the types of reactions, such as single displacement or acid-base reactions, is crucial for predicting the outcome of mixing these reagents.
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Gas Production in Reactions

Many chemical reactions produce gases as products, which can lead to inflation of balloons. For instance, when zinc reacts with nitric acid, hydrogen gas is generated. Recognizing the conditions under which gases are produced and their properties, such as volume and pressure, is essential for understanding how they can fill a balloon.
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Production of Hydrogen Example

Balancing Chemical Equations

Balancing chemical equations is a fundamental skill in chemistry that ensures the law of conservation of mass is upheld, meaning the number of atoms of each element is the same on both sides of the equation. In this scenario, writing a balanced equation for the reaction between zinc and nitric acid will help clarify the stoichiometry of the reaction and the quantities of reactants and products involved.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question

The commercial production of nitric acid involves the following chemical reactions:

4 NH3(g) + 5 O2(g) → 4 NO(g) + 6 H2O(g)

2 NO(g) + O2(g) → 2 NO2(g)

3 NO2(g) + H2O(l) → 2 HNO3(aq) + NO(g)

(a) Which of these reactions are redox reactions?

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Textbook Question

The commercial production of nitric acid involves the following chemical reactions:

4 NH3(g) + 5 O2(g) → 4 NO(g) + 6 H2O(g)

2 NO(g) + O2(g) → 2 NO2(g)

3 NO2(g) + H2O(l) → 2 HNO3(aq) + NO(g)

(b) Identify the element undergoing oxidation and the element undergoing reduction. 3 NO2(g) + H2O(l) → 2 HNO3(aq) + NO(g)

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Textbook Question

The commercial production of nitric acid involves the following chemical reactions:

4 NH3(g) + 5 O2(g) → 4 NO(g) + 6 H2O(g)

2 NO(g) + O2(g) → 2 NO2(g)

3 NO2(g) + H2O(l) → 2 HNO3(aq) + NO(g)

(c) How many grams of ammonia must you start with to make 1000.0 L of a 0.150 M aqueous solution of nitric acid? Assume all the reactions give 100% yield.

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Textbook Question

Bronze is a solid solution of Cu(s) and Sn(s); solutions of metals like this that are solids are called alloys. There is a range of compositions over which the solution is considered a bronze. Bronzes are stronger and harder than either copper or tin alone. (b) Based on part (a), calculate the concentration of the solute metal in the alloy in units of molarity, assuming a density of 7.9 g/cm3.

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Textbook Question

Bronze is a solid solution of Cu(s) and Sn(s); solutions of metals like this that are solids are called alloys. There is a range of compositions over which the solution is considered a bronze. Bronzes are stronger and harder than either copper or tin alone. (c) Suggest a reaction that you could do to remove all the tin from this bronze to leave a pure copper sample. Justify your reasoning.

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Open Question
A 35.0-mL sample of 1.00 M Co(NO₃)₂ and an 80.0-mL sample of 0.600 M Co(NO₃)₂ are mixed. The solution is then heated to evaporate water until the total volume is 50.0 mL. Calculate the volume, in mL, of 0.20 M H₃PO₄ that is required to precipitate out cobalt(III) phosphate in the final solution.