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Ch.4 - Reactions in Aqueous Solution
Chapter 4, Problem 96c

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.

Verified step by step guidance
1
<strong>Step 1:</strong> Calculate the moles of nitric acid (HNO<sub>3</sub>) needed using the molarity formula: \( \text{Molarity} = \frac{\text{moles of solute}}{\text{volume of solution in liters}} \). Given that the volume is 1000.0 L and the molarity is 0.150 M, calculate the moles of HNO<sub>3</sub>.
<strong>Step 2:</strong> Use the stoichiometry of the third reaction to find the moles of NO<sub>2</sub> required to produce the calculated moles of HNO<sub>3</sub>. The balanced equation shows that 3 moles of NO<sub>2</sub> produce 2 moles of HNO<sub>3</sub>.
<strong>Step 3:</strong> Use the stoichiometry of the second reaction to find the moles of NO required to produce the calculated moles of NO<sub>2</sub>. The balanced equation shows that 2 moles of NO react with 1 mole of O<sub>2</sub> to produce 2 moles of NO<sub>2</sub>.
<strong>Step 4:</strong> Use the stoichiometry of the first reaction to find the moles of NH<sub>3</sub> required to produce the calculated moles of NO. The balanced equation shows that 4 moles of NH<sub>3</sub> react with 5 moles of O<sub>2</sub> to produce 4 moles of NO.
<strong>Step 5:</strong> Convert the moles of NH<sub>3</sub> to grams using the molar mass of NH<sub>3</sub> (17.03 g/mol). Multiply the moles of NH<sub>3</sub> by its molar mass to find the mass in grams.

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Key Concepts

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

Stoichiometry

Stoichiometry is the calculation of reactants and products in chemical reactions based on the balanced chemical equations. It allows us to determine the relationships between the quantities of substances involved in a reaction. In this case, stoichiometry will help us find out how much ammonia is needed to produce a specific volume and concentration of nitric acid.
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Molarity

Molarity (M) is a measure of concentration defined as the number of moles of solute per liter of solution. It is crucial for understanding how much of a substance is present in a given volume of solution. In this question, the target concentration of 0.150 M for nitric acid will guide the calculations to determine the required amount of ammonia.
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Limiting Reactant

The limiting reactant is the substance that is completely consumed first in a chemical reaction, thus determining the maximum amount of product that can be formed. Identifying the limiting reactant is essential in stoichiometric calculations, as it affects how much of the other reactants are needed. In this scenario, understanding which reactant limits the production of nitric acid will be key to solving the problem.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question

Antacids are often used to relieve pain and promote healing in the treatment of mild ulcers. Write balanced net ionic equations for the reactions between the aqueous HCl in the stomach and each of the following substances used in various antacids: (a) Al(OH)3(s) (b) Mg(OH)2(s) (c) MgCO3(s) (d) NaAl(CO3)(OH)2(s) (e) CaCO3(s).

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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)

(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.

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Textbook Question

Neurotransmitters are molecules that are released by nerve cells to other cells in our bodies, and are needed for muscle motion, thinking, feeling, and memory. Dopamine is a common neurotransmitter in the human brain and is a weak base. Its molecular weight is 153.2 g/mol. b. Experiments with rats show that if rats are dosed with 3.0 mg/kg of cocaine (that is, 3.0 mg cocaine per kg of animal mass), the concentration of dopamine in their brains increases by 0.75 𝜇𝑀 after 60 seconds. Calculate how many molecules of dopamine would be produced in a rat (average brain volume 5.00mm3) after 60 seconds of a 3.0 mg/kg dose of cocaine.


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Textbook Question

Hard water contains Ca2+, Mg2+, and Fe2+, which interfere with the action of soap and leave an insoluble coating on the insides of containers and pipes when heated. Water softeners replace these ions with Na+. Keep in mind that charge balance must be maintained. (a) If 1500 L of hard water contains 0.020 M Ca2+ and 0.0040 M Mg2+, how many moles of Na+ are needed to replace these ions?

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Textbook Question

Hard water contains Ca2+, Mg2+, and Fe2+, which interfere with the action of soap and leave an insoluble coating on the insides of containers and pipes when heated. Water softeners replace these ions with Na+. Keep in mind that charge balance must be maintained. (b) If the sodium is added to the water softener in the form of NaCl, how many grams of sodium chloride are needed?

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