Final answer:
To find the tons of mercury in coal a power plant burns annually, the lower (50.0 ppb) and higher (200.0 ppb) mercury concentrations are applied to the annual coal consumption of 2.19 million tons, yielding a range between 0.1095 and 0.4380 tons of mercury.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the tons of mercury in coal for a power plant that burns 2.19 million tons of coal per year, we use the provided mercury concentrations in coal, which range from 50.0 to 200.0 ppb (parts per billion).
First, we convert the coal amount from tons to grams to match the ppb unit:
1 ton = 1,000,000 grams
2.19 million tons = 2.19 x 106 tons = 2.19 x 1012 grams
Next, we calculate the amount of mercury at the lower concentration (50.0 ppb):
50.0 ppb means 50.0 grams of mercury per 1 billion grams of coal
(50.0 grams Hg / 1 x 109 grams coal) * 2.19 x 1012 grams coal = 109,500 grams Hg
Since 1 ton = 1,000,000 grams, that is 109,500 grams / 1,000,000 = 0.1095 tons of mercury
At the higher concentration (200.0 ppb), the calculations would be:
(200.0 grams Hg / 1 x 109 grams coal) * 2.19 x 1012 grams coal = 438,000 grams Hg
438,000 grams / 1,000,000 = 0.4380 tons of mercury
Therefore, the power plant would contain between 0.1095 and 0.4380 tons of mercury based on the given concentrations of mercury in the coal.