Final answer:
To determine the number of oxygen tanks needed to burn a given volume of acetylene in an oxyacetylene torch, the stoichiometry of the combustion reaction is used. Approximately 3.34 tanks of oxygen are required to burn 9340 liters of acetylene, based on the balanced chemical equation: 2 C₂H₂ + 5 O₂ → 4 CO₂ + 2 H₂O.
Step-by-step explanation:
A student has asked about the gases used in oxy-fuel gas torches and how many tanks of one are needed to burn the other, specifically in the context of an oxyacetylene welding torch. In order to calculate the required number of oxygen tanks to burn a given volume of acetylene, we need to look at the stoichiometry of the combustion reaction. The balanced chemical equation for the combustion of acetylene is: 2 C₂H₂(g) + 5 O₂(g) → 4 CO₂(g) + 2 H₂O(g).
According to the question, an acetylene tank provides 9340 L of acetylene gas at standard conditions of 0 °C and 1 atm. The oxygen tank provides 7.00 × 10³ L of O₂ at the same conditions. To burn one volume of acetylene, 2.5 volumes of oxygen are required, as seen from the balanced chemical equation. Therefore, the number of oxygen tanks needed is calculated as follows: (9340 L C₂H₂ × 2.5 L O₂/L C₂H₂) / (7.00 × 10³ L O₂/tank) which gives approximately 3.34 tanks of oxygen.