Question

During the extraction of a batch of titanium, 184 tonnes of sodium was used. Calculate the maximum mass of titanium that could be formed during this reaction.

Answer 1

The maximum mass of titanium can be calculated using stoichiometry, relating the amount of sodium used to the stoichiometric ratio of sodium to titanium in the reaction. The number of moles of sodium is determined first; this is then used to calculate the moles of titanium, which is then converted to mass using the molar mass of titanium (47.867 g/mol).

Step-by-step explanation:

To calculate the maximum mass of titanium that could be formed during the extraction process where 184 tonnes of sodium was used, we must first determine the stoichiometry of the reaction. Typically, sodium is used to reduce titanium tetrachloride (TiCl4) to titanium. The balanced chemical equation for this process is commonly given as:
4 Na + TiCl4 → 4 NaCl + Ti
This equation shows that 4 moles of sodium are required to produce 1 mole of titanium. To calculate the maximum amount of titanium, follow these steps:

1. Calculate the number of moles of sodium used: since 1 tonne is 1,000,000 grams, 184 tonnes is 184,000,000 grams.
2. The molar mass of sodium is approximately 22.99 g/mol, so the number of moles of sodium used is 184,000,000 g / 22.99 g/mol.
3. From the stoichiometry, divide the number of moles of sodium by 4 to find the moles of titanium that could be produced.
4. Then, use the molar mass of titanium (47.867 g/mol) to convert moles of titanium to mass: moles of Ti x 47.867 g/mol.

Remember to convert the final mass from grams to tonnes if necessary (1 tonne = 1,000,000 grams).