A typical coal-fired electric generating plant will bum about 3 metric tons of c

Question

A typical coal-fired electric generating plant will bum about 3 metric tons of coal per hour. Most of the coal burned in the United States contains 1 to 4 % by weight sulfur in the form of pyrite, which is oxidized as the coal bums: 4FeS2(S) 11 02(g) 2 Fe2O3(3)-8 SO2(g) Once in the atmosphere, the SO2 is oxidized to SO3, which then reacts with water in the atmosphere to form sulfuric acid If 44.1 metric tons of coal that contains 3.39 % by weight s is burned and all of the sulfuric acid that is formed rans down into a pond of dimensions 387 m x 260 m x 5.61 m what is the pH of the pond? (OK to assume 2 mol H30 per mole H2SO4) Hint: 1 metric ton = 100() kg

Explanation / Answer

mass of coal=44.1 metric tons= 44.1*1000 kg= 44.1*1000*1000 gm

weight % of S in the coal = 3.9%, mass of sulfur in the coal= 44.1*106*3.9/100 =1719900 gm

moles of Sulfur in the coal= mass/atomic weight of Sulfur =1719900/32= 53747 moles

FeS2 -------->Fe+2S

2 moles of Sulfur is there in 1 mole of FeS2

53747 moles will be there in 53747/2= 26873.5 moles of FeS2

from tthe 1st reaction, 4 moles of FeS2 gives rise to 8 moles of SO2

26873.5 moles of FeS2 gives rise to 26873.5*8/4= 53747 moles of SO2

1 mole of SO2 gives 1 mole of SO3 which in turm gives 1 mole of H2SO4

moles of H2SO4 formed = 53747

volume of pond= 387*260*5.61 m3=564478m3, 1 m3= 1000L

volume of pond= 564478*1000 L

concentration of H2SO4 in the pond = 53747/564478*1000 M=9.5*10-5M

1 mole of H2SO4 gives rise to 2mole of H3O+

concentration of H3O+ that is contributing to pH is = 2*9.5*10-5M=19*10-5

pH= -log [H3O+]= 3.72

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