Anaerobic bacteria growing in a lake sediment produced equal molar amounts of ca

Question

Anaerobic bacteria growing in a lake sediment produced equal molar amounts of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide according to the biochemical reaction 2{CH_2O} rightarrow CO_2 + CH_4 so that the water in the lake was saturated with both CO_2 gas and CH_4 gas. In units of mol/L/atm the Henry's law constant for CO_2 is 3.38 times 10^2 and that of CH_4 has a value of 1.34 times 10^-3 At the depth at which the gas was being evolved, the total pressure was 1.10 atm and the temperature was 25 degree C, so the vapor pressure of water was 0.0313 atm. Calculate the concentrations of dissolved CO_2 and dissolved CH_4.

Explanation / Answer

Total pressure = 1.10 atmm

Pressure of water vapour = 0.0313atm

Pressure of gases = 1.10 - 0.0313 =1.0687atm

CH4 and CO2 gases are equimolar

therefore , CH4 partial pressure = 1.0687atm/2 = 0.5344atm

CO2 partial pressure = 0.5344 atm

Hentry law

C = k P

Where, P is partial pressure of gas , 0.5344atm each for CO2 and CH4

k is henry law constant, 3.38 × 10^-2(mol/litre)/atm for CO2 and 1.34 × 10^-3( mol/lit)/atm

C is Concentration of gas in liquid , to be determined

For CO2

C = k P = 3.38 × 10^-2(mol/litre)/atm × 0.5344 atm

= 1.806 × 10 ^ -2 mol/litre = 1.806 × 10^-2M

For CH4,

C = 1.34×10^-3 (mol/litre)×0.5344 atnm

=7.16 × 10^-4M

  

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