Question

There are two steps in the usual industrial preparation of acrylic acid, the immediate precursor of several useful plastics. In the first step, calcium carbide and water react to form acetylene and calcium hydroxide:CaC2(s)+2H2O(g)→C2H2(g)+CaOH2(s)In the second step, acetylene, carbon dioxide and water react to form acrylic acid:6C2H2(g)+3CO2(g)+4H2O(g)→5CH2CHCO2H(g)Write the net chemical equation for the production of acrylic acid from calcium carbide, water and carbon dioxide. Be sure your equation is balanced.

Answer 1

6 CaC₂(s) + 16 H₂O(g) + 3 CO₂(g) → 6 Ca(OH)₂(s) + 5 CH₂CHCO₂H(g)

Step-by-step explanation:

There are two steps in the preparation of acrylic acid.

Step 1: CaC₂(s) + 2 H₂O(g) → C₂H₂(g) + Ca(OH)₂(s)

Step 2: 6 C₂H₂(g) + 3 CO₂(g) + 4 H₂O(g) → 5 CH₂CHCO₂H(g)

In the net chemical equation, intermediaries do not appear, C₂H₂ in this case. To achieve this, we will multiply the first step by 6, add it to the second step and cancel what is on both sides of the equation.

6 CaC₂(s) + 12 H₂O(g) → 6 C₂H₂(g) + 6Ca(OH)₂(s)

+

6 C₂H₂(g) + 3 CO₂(g) + 4 H₂O(g) → 5 CH₂CHCO₂H(g)

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6 CaC₂(s) + 12 H₂O(g) + 6 C₂H₂(g) + 3 CO₂(g) + 4 H₂O(g) → 6 C₂H₂(g) + 6Ca(OH)₂(s) + 5 CH₂CHCO₂H(g)

6 CaC₂(s) + 16 H₂O(g) + 3 CO₂(g) → 6 Ca(OH)₂(s) + 5 CH₂CHCO₂H(g)