Process Engineering - Mole Ratio and mole fractions

In summary: Once you have that, you can use the given information to calculate the composition of the slurry and liquid in weight percent. In summary, to solve this problem, you need to know the molecular mass of toluene and water in order to calculate the composition of the slurry and liquid in weight percent. It is not possible to do this without knowing the molar masses.
  • #1
nobodyuknow
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Homework Statement



A mineral slurry contains 3 components, solids, liquids and toluene.

The slurry has 20 wt% solids and 80 wt% liquid. In the liquid portion of the slurry the mole ratio of toluene to water is 1:5.67

Determine the composition of the slurry (solids, toluene and water) in wt%.

and

Determined the composition of the liquid (toluene and water) in wt%.

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution



Wasn't sure how to do this question without the molecular mass of Toluene (Which I googled, I don't think we were suppose to know what chemical compound of toluene to solve this question).However, is there an alternative method of solving this problem WITHOUT knowing the molar mass or chemical compound of Toluene (we were allowed to use a Periodic Table).

Thanks a bunch
 
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  • #2
You can easily calculate molar mass of toluene knowing its formula - and toluene is one of rather basic substances, often used in commercial processes.
 
  • #3
Alright, because this was a practice exam question (not homework), just thought that it'd give you all the information you'd need to know (and that the 'formula' for toluene wasn't given to you).

So there is no way you can do it without the molecular mass of Toluene? (or calculate it with the only given numbers?)
 
  • #4
No, there is no way to convert between molar ratio and weight percent without knowing molar masses. Where do you get them from is a separate problem - buy you need them.
 
  • #5
You need to find the molecular mass of toluene and water.
 
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1. What is a mole ratio and how is it calculated?

A mole ratio is a ratio between the number of moles of one substance in a chemical reaction to the number of moles of another substance. It is calculated by dividing the number of moles of one substance by the number of moles of another substance.

2. How do you determine the mole ratio from a balanced chemical equation?

The mole ratio can be determined from a balanced chemical equation by looking at the coefficients of the reactants and products. These coefficients represent the number of moles of each substance in the reaction, and the ratio between them is the mole ratio.

3. What is a mole fraction and how is it different from a mole ratio?

A mole fraction is the ratio of the number of moles of one component in a mixture to the total number of moles in the mixture. Unlike a mole ratio, which is specific to a chemical reaction, a mole fraction can be used to describe the composition of a mixture of substances.

4. How do you calculate the mole fraction of a substance in a mixture?

The mole fraction of a substance in a mixture is calculated by dividing the number of moles of that substance by the total number of moles in the mixture. This can also be represented as a decimal or percentage.

5. How are mole ratios and mole fractions used in process engineering?

Mole ratios and mole fractions are important in process engineering because they help determine the optimal conditions for a chemical reaction or the composition of a mixture. They are also used in calculations for scaling up reactions and designing industrial processes.

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