so easy, and yet so hard....

[ignorant1]

I have a really easy problem in my chemestry class, bot somehow, i can't seem to come out with the right answer.... well, here it is...(by the way, i don't know how to write out the sub-scripts...)


Nitric acid is used in the production of trintrolune (tnt), an explosive.
C7 H8 +3 HNO3 ---->C7 H5 N3 06 + 3 H2O
tolune TNT
How much TNT can be made from 46 kegs of toluene?

:confused: =me

[BobG]

Normally, only C_2H_5OH comes measured in kegs (of course, it's normally diluted by some other indredients when it comes by the keg). Do you mean kilograms?

If so, you need to divide the mass by the molar mass of your substance to find out how many moles of C_7H_8 you have (since nitric acid is cheap, you can add however much you need).

I imagine your answer is supposed to be measured in kilograms, as well. Same as the first, but in the opposite direction. Multiply the number of moles of TNT by the molar mass.

[ignorant1]

thanks, that really helps! :biggrin: