Does Spilled Mercury Exceed EPA Air Quality Limits in the Lab?

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around a scenario involving a mercury spill in a laboratory setting, specifically assessing whether the concentration of mercury vapor exceeds EPA air quality limits. The problem is situated within the context of gas laws and volume calculations.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Mathematical reasoning

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants explore the necessary calculations to determine the concentration of mercury vapor, questioning the amount of mercury spilled and its impact on the calculations. There are discussions about the need to calculate density and verify previous calculations.

Discussion Status

The conversation is ongoing, with participants providing hints and suggestions for recalculating certain values. Some participants express uncertainty about the information provided and the assumptions made, indicating a lack of consensus on how to proceed.

Contextual Notes

There is a noted absence of specific information regarding the amount of mercury spilled, which is crucial for solving the problem. Participants are working within the constraints of the information given in the homework statement.

knottlena
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The Answer is "Yes", but I need to show HOW. Plz Help.

Homework Statement


A researcher breaks a thermometer & spills most of the mercury in it on the floor of a laboratory that measures 15.2 m Long, 6.6 m Wide, & 2.4 m High. Does the concetration of mercury exceed the EPA air quality regulation of .050 mg Hg/m3 of air? (Temp of the rm is 20 degrees celsius; the vapor pressure of mercury at this temp is 1.7 x 10 to -6th atm.)


Homework Equations


PV=nRT & LxWxH


The Attempt at a Solution


LxWxH=240.77 m3 x 100 to the 3rd power=2.4x10 to the 8th cm3 x 1mL/1cm3=2.4x10 to the 8th/1000 L = 2.4 x 10 to the 5th L
Hg = 200.59g/mol
n=PV/RT (1.7 x10 to -6th)(2.4 x 10 to the 5th)/ (.0821 Latm/mol K) (293K) = 1.4 x 10 to the 3rd mol

I just don't know where to go from here. I know the answer is 14.1 mg/m3, but I can't figure out how the teacher got there. HELP PLEase. Thank you in advance.
 
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You have not said how much mercury is spilled.
 


My professor did not offer up that information in the question. A couple other students in my class were able to solve it with the information given, but I am at a loss. I appreciate you trying :)
 


Think about it backwards. You need to wind up with a density of mercury vapor. What quantities do you need in order to calculate that density?
 


Check your calculation for n. I think your answer shown is much too large.
 


Thank you
 

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