Question

How many grams of HgO are needed if we want to make 6.58 grams of O₂ by the reaction 2 HgO → 2 Hg + O₂?

A) 6.58 grams of HgO
B) 3.29 grams of HgO
C) 2.19 grams of HgO
D) 1.64 grams of HgO

Answer 1

To produce 6.58 grams of O₂, we would need 3.29 grams of HgO.

Step-by-step explanation:

To find the number of grams of HgO needed, we need to use the given balanced chemical equation:

2 HgO → 2 Hg + O₂

The molar mass of HgO is 216.59 g/mol.

From the equation, we can see that 2 moles of HgO react to form 1 mole of O₂. Therefore, to produce 6.58 grams of O₂, we would need half the amount of HgO, which is 3.29 grams (Option B).