Calculating Iodine Number and Structure of Oil

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The discussion centers on calculating the iodine number of an oil sample based on its reaction with iodine. The iodine number indicates the number of double bonds in the oil, with the user initially miscalculating the moles of iodine by not accounting for iodine's diatomic nature. After clarification, it was determined that 0.112 moles of iodine corresponds to 0.056 moles of I2, leading to the conclusion that the oil contains four double bonds. The conversation emphasizes the importance of understanding molecular versus atomic calculations in chemistry. Accurate calculations are essential for deducing the structure of fats and oils.
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Hi,

I understand that the iodine number is the number of moles of iodine reacting with one mole of fat/oil which indicates the number of double bonds present in the fat/oil molecule.

However I am having trouble calculating them.

Can someone show me how to solve the following question please?

0.014 moles of a particular oil was found to react exactly with 14.2g of iodine. Calculate the number of moles of iodine that reacted and state what can be deduced about the structure of the oil from this information.

This is as far as I got:

Number of moles of iodine: 14.2/126.9 = 0.112mol
 
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Is it a homework question?

What is molar ratio of iodine and hydrocarbon?

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methods
 
Thats all the information that was given, and Its just a revision question - not homework.
 
CSG18 said:
Thats all the information that was given

So use it to calculate molar ratio.
 
I have tried everything I know. With respect, if I knew how to do these questions then I wouldn't be asking. So if I could see how someone else worked it out, I will be able to see how its done, so I can apply it to similar questions.

Sorry for the trouble, I'm quite desperate.
 
If I had 4 apples and 6 bananas, what is the ratio of bananas to apples?
 
Are you serious?!

3:2
 
SJB was serious, but you are not serious. You know how to calculate fruit ratio, but not how to calculate molar ratio?

If you have 0.112 moles of iodine and 0.014 moles of hydrocarbon, what is their molar ratio?
 
8...?

Is that the number you are talking about?

Because I had already calculated 8, but the answer in my book says 0.0559 mols...?
 
Last edited:
  • #10
Ah, you made a mistake at the very beginning, I have not spotted it earlier. There is no such thing as atomic iodine.
 
  • #11
Seems we have two questions here.

First, how many moles of iodine, for which you have calculated (correctly) as 0.112mol of
atoms - how does iodine usually exist?

(looks like Borek has just beaten me to this)

Then, moving on, how does iodine react with double bonds - what is the ratio there?
 
  • #12
sjb-2812 said:
Seems we have two questions here.

First, how many moles of iodine, for which you have calculated (correctly) as 0.112mol of
atoms - how does iodine usually exist?

(looks like Borek has just beaten me to this)

Then, moving on, how does iodine react with double bonds - what is the ratio there?

Oh! Because iodine is diatomic, so there are 2 iodine atoms for every 0.112mols, for 1 iodine atom there are 0.056 mols, so that means the molar ratio is 4! So there are 4 double bonds?!

The answer 0.056 is approximately equal to 0.0559!

Thankyou thankyou soo much!

So you always have to find one atom of iodine?
 
  • #13
Borek said:
Ah, you made a mistake at the very beginning, I have not spotted it earlier. There is no such thing as atomic iodine.

Thank you Mr. Borek. I just could not figure out where I had gone wrong.
 
  • #14
CSG18 said:
So you always have to find one atom of iodine?

Huh? Please elaborate.

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  • #15
I just meant that the moles of iodine that I had initially calculated (0.112 mol) applied to I2 (a molecule of iodine), however I was asking instead of finding I2, the goal was to find just the number of moles of I.

Does that make sense?
 
  • #16
Quite the opposite. What you have initially found was number of moles of I (atomic iodine), while you should have been looking for moles of I2. Two reasons for that - first, iodine is diatomic. Second, it takes iodine molecule (two atoms) to react with double bond.

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methods
 
  • #17
Thank you, I'm glad that's resolved.
 
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