Question

If iron pyrite, FeS2, is not removed from coal, oxygen from the air will combine with both the iron and the sulfur as coal burns. If a furnace burns an amount of coal containing 330.92 g of FeS2, how much SO2 (an air pollutant) is produced?

[4 , text(FeS)_2 + 11 , text(O)_2 rightarrow 2 , text(Fe)_2text(O)_3 + 8 , text(SO)_2]
A) 353.4
B) 88.35
C) 986.5
D) 971.9

Answer 1

The amount of SO2 produced from burning coal containing 330.92 g of FeS2 is approximately 705.4 g.

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine the amount of SO2 produced, we need to calculate the moles of FeS2 and use the stoichiometry of the balanced equation to find the moles of SO2.

Molar mass of FeS2 = 119.98 g/mol

Moles of FeS2 = mass / molar mass = 330.92 g / 119.98 g/mol = 2.754 mol

From the stoichiometry of the balanced equation, 1 mole of FeS2 produces 8 moles of SO2:

2 FeS2 + 11 O2 → 2 Fe2O3 + 8 SO2

Therefore, the moles of SO2 produced = 2.754 mol FeS2 * (8 mol SO2 / 2 mol FeS2) = 11.016 mol

Converting moles to grams:

Mass of SO2 = moles * molar mass = 11.016 mol * 64.06 g/mol = 705.437 g

Rounded to one decimal place, the amount of SO2 produced is approximately 705.4 g.