Confusing Stoichiometry Question

In summary, the conversation discusses the production of chlorine through a chemical reaction and the calculation of the mass of KMnO4 and volume of hydrochloric acid required. The initial calculation for the mass of KMnO4 was incorrect due to using the density of liquid Cl2 instead of its gas form. The conversation ends with a reflection on the importance of checking the order of magnitude in numerical answers.
  • #1
pure kirk
1
0
I got this question as an example question and I have no clue on how to solve part B

Chlorine can be produced by the reaction:
2KMnO4 + 16HCl ->2KCl + 2MnCl2 + 5Cl2 + 8H2O
(a)What mass of KMnO4 is required to produce 2.5 L of Cl2 gas measured at STP?

For part A I got 7.05 g ( 0.044615 moll)
(b) Calculate the volume of commercial hydrochloric acid required (Commercial grade hydrochloric acid is 36.0% HCl by weight, and has a density of 1.18 g mL^(–1)).
 
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  • #2
pure kirk said:
I got this question as an example question and I have no clue on how to solve part B

Chlorine can be produced by the reaction:
2KMnO4 + 16HCl ->2KCl + 2MnCl2 + 5Cl2 + 8H2O
(a)What mass of KMnO4 is required to produce 2.5 L of Cl2 gas measured at STP?

For part A I got 7.05 g ( 0.044615 moll)
That is much too low. Please show your calculations.

pure kirk said:
(b) Calculate the volume of commercial hydrochloric acid required (Commercial grade hydrochloric acid is 36.0% HCl by weight, and has a density of 1.18 g mL^(–1)).
Can you start by figuring what mass of HCl you need?
 
  • #3
DrClaude said:
That is much too low. Please show your calculations.

I got 7.051 g as well:

 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #4
I'm sorry for the mistake. I used the density of Cl2 given by WolframAlpha, which is much higher.
 
  • #5
Looks like they are listing density of a liquid Cl2 - which doesn't make much sense at STP...
 
  • #6
Borek said:
Looks like they are listing density of a liquid Cl2 - which doesn't make much sense at STP...

Indeed. Very strange.

I feel ashamed because I didn't follow the rule that I always tell my students: when you get a numerical answer, always try to figure out if the order of magnitude makes sense. I should've checked with the ideal gas law...
 

1. What is stoichiometry?

Stoichiometry is the branch of chemistry that deals with the quantitative relationships between reactants and products in a chemical reaction.

2. How is stoichiometry used in chemistry?

Stoichiometry is used to determine the amount of reactants needed to produce a desired amount of product, or to predict the amount of product that will be formed from a given amount of reactants.

3. What is a confusing stoichiometry question?

A confusing stoichiometry question is one that involves multiple reactants or products, requires the use of conversion factors, or has a complex chemical equation that makes it difficult to determine the correct stoichiometric calculations.

4. How can I solve a confusing stoichiometry question?

To solve a confusing stoichiometry question, it is important to first identify the given information, set up a balanced chemical equation, use conversion factors to convert between units, and double check your calculations to ensure accuracy.

5. What are some common mistakes made when solving stoichiometry problems?

Some common mistakes when solving stoichiometry problems include using the wrong conversion factors, forgetting to balance the chemical equation, and not paying attention to units. It is also important to be aware of significant figures and round your final answer accordingly.

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