± Byproducts of Burning Fossil Fuels 18 of 24 Constants | Periodic Table When ca

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± Byproducts of Burning Fossil Fuels

18 of 24

Constants | Periodic Table

When carbon, C, burns in air, it reacts with oxygen, O2, to produce carbon dioxide,CO2:

C(s)+O2(g)CO2(g)

S(s)+O2(g)SO2(g)

In 1986 an electrical power plant in Taylorsville, Georgia, burned 8,376,726 tons of coal, a national record at that time.

Part A

Assuming that the coal was 84.7 % carbon by mass and that combustion was complete, calculate the number of tons of carbon dioxide produced by the plant during the year.

Express your answer numerically in tons.

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Part B

Assuming that the coal was 4.30 % sulfur by mass and that combustion was complete, calculate the number of tons of sulfur dioxide produced by the plant during the year.

Express your answer numerically in tons.

Constants | Periodic Table

Coal is a fossil fuel made primarily of carbon, but it also contains sulfur among other elements.

When carbon, C, burns in air, it reacts with oxygen, O2, to produce carbon dioxide,CO2:

C(s)+O2(g)CO2(g)

When sulfur, S, burns in air, it reacts with oxygen, O2, to produce sulfur dioxide, SO2:

S(s)+O2(g)SO2(g)

In 1986 an electrical power plant in Taylorsville, Georgia, burned 8,376,726 tons of coal, a national record at that time.

Part A

Assuming that the coal was 84.7 % carbon by mass and that combustion was complete, calculate the number of tons of carbon dioxide produced by the plant during the year.

Express your answer numerically in tons.

View Available Hint(s)

tons CO2

Submit

Part B

Assuming that the coal was 4.30 % sulfur by mass and that combustion was complete, calculate the number of tons of sulfur dioxide produced by the plant during the year.

Express your answer numerically in tons.

Explanation / Answer

Coal mass = 8376726 tons

mass of Carbon C = 8376726 * 84.7/100 = 7095086.92 tons

number moles of C = 7095086.92 tons * 907185 g/ton * 1/12 mol/g

number of moles of C = 5.3638 * 10^11 moles

C (s) + O2 (g) ---> CO2 (g)

1 mole of C produces 1 mole of CO2

5.3638 * 10^11 moles C produce 5.3638* 10^11 moles of CO2

mass of CO2 = 5.3638 * 10^11 mol * 44 g/mol = 2.3601 * 10^13 g

mass of CO2 = 2.3601 * 10^13 g * 1/907185 tons/g = 2.6015*10^7 tons

mass of SO2 = 8376726 * 4.3/100 = 360199.218 tons

number of moles of S = 360199.218 tons * 907185 g/ton * 1/32 mol/g

number of moles of S = 1.0211*10^10 moles

S(s) + O2 (g) ----> SO2 (g)

1 mole of S produces 1 mole of SO2

1.0211*10^10 moles of S produces 1.0211*10^10 moles of SO2

mass of SO2 = 1.0211* 10^11 mol * 64 g/mol = 6.5353 * 10^11 g

mass of SO2 = 6.5353 * 10^11 g * 1/907185 ton/g = 720398.44 tons

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