Potassium superoxide, KO2, is used for producing oxygen and removing carbon dioxide in selfcontained
breathing units, space shuttles, and other enclosed spaces. First the potassium superoxide reacts with
moisture to release oxygen and produce potassium hydroxide. Then the potassium hydroxide reacts with carbon
dioxide to produce potassium carbonate. The equations are:
4 KO2 (s) + 2 H2O (g) → 4 KOH (s) + 3 O2 (g)
2 KOH (s) + CO2 (g) → K2CO3 (s) + H2O (l)
What mass of CO2 (in kg) can be absorbed by 1.90 kg of KO2?
Im sorry for repeating my q, but i cant find my previous post to see if someone replied. I got 0.588kg (including sig figs)
To find the mass of CO2 that can be absorbed by 1.90 kg of KO2, we need to use stoichiometry. Stoichiometry is the calculation of reactants and products in chemical reactions.
From the given balanced equations, we can see that 4 moles of KO2 react with 2 moles of H2O to produce 3 moles of O2, and 2 moles of KOH react with 1 mole of CO2 to produce 1 mole of K2CO3.
First, we need to convert the mass of KO2 to moles using its molar mass. The molar mass of KO2 is the sum of the molar masses of potassium (K) and oxygen (O). The molar mass of K is 39.10 g/mol, and the molar mass of O is 16.00 g/mol. Therefore, the molar mass of KO2 is:
(1 × 39.10 g/mol) + (2 × 16.00 g/mol) = 71.10 g/mol
Next, we can calculate the number of moles of KO2:
1.90 kg × (1000 g/kg) ÷ 71.10 g/mol = 26.73 mol KO2
Now, using the stoichiometry of the second equation, we can determine the number of moles of CO2 produced:
2 moles KOH : 1 mole CO2
This ratio tells us that for every 2 moles of KOH, there is 1 mole of CO2. Therefore:
26.73 mol KO2 × (1 mol CO2 / 2 mol KOH) = 13.37 mol CO2
Finally, we can convert the moles of CO2 to mass using its molar mass. The molar mass of CO2 is the sum of the molar masses of carbon (C) and oxygen (O). The molar mass of C is 12.01 g/mol, and the molar mass of O is 16.00 g/mol. Therefore, the molar mass of CO2 is:
(1 × 12.01 g/mol) + (2 × 16.00 g/mol) = 44.01 g/mol
The mass of CO2 can be calculated:
13.37 mol CO2 × 44.01 g/mol = 588.47 g
To convert grams to kilograms, we divide by 1000:
588.47 g ÷ 1000 = 0.588 kg
Therefore, the mass of CO2 that can be absorbed by 1.90 kg of KO2 is 0.588 kg. This matches your previous answer.