Homework Help Forum: Chemistry

Posted by Lex on Wednesday, August 27, 2008 at 11:37pm.

Bacterial digestion is an economical method of sewage treatment. The reaction 5CO2(g) + 55NH4+(aq) + 76O2(g) --bacteria--> C5H7O2N(s)[bacterial tissue] + 54NO2-(aq) + 52H2O(l) + 109H+(aq) is an intermediate step in the conversion of the nitrogen in organic compounds into nitrate ions. How much bacterial tissue is produced in a treatment plant for every 1.0 x 10^4 kg of wastewater containing 3.0% NH4+ ions by mass? Assume that 95% of the ammonium ions are consumed by the bacteria.

• Chemistry - bobpursley, Thursday, August 28, 2008 at 11:07am

  From the balanced equation, you know that 55*.95moles of ammonium ions yields one mole of tissue. Compute molmassNH4, and molemassBacterialTissue, from the formulas. Bacterialtissue=10^4kg*.03(1000g/kg)*1moleammonium/molmassammonium*1moletissue/55*.95moleammonium *molemasstissue/1moletissue Doesn't that do int in grams? Check my thinking.

  
  

• Chemistry - Anonymous, Thursday, September 18, 2008 at 11:17pm

  .120 is that the answer?

  
  

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