The reaction of quicklime (CaO) with sulfur dioxide (SO2) is an important reaction for reducing SO2 emissions from coal-fired power plants:
CaO(s) + SO2(g) → CaSO3(s)
This reaction is an example of:
A. a precipitation reaction
B. an electrolysis reaction
C. a combustion reaction
D. a redox reaction
E. a Lewis acid-base reaction
It's a synthesis reaction but that isn't one of the choices. I would go with a as the closest.
To determine the type of reaction, we can analyze the given reaction equation and identify the characteristics of each reaction type.
A. A precipitation reaction is a reaction where two aqueous solutions react to form an insoluble solid, called a precipitate. In this reaction, there are no aqueous solutions involved, so it is not a precipitation reaction.
B. An electrolysis reaction is a reaction in which an electric current is used to decompose a compound into its constituent elements or ions. No electric current is mentioned in the given reaction, so it is not an electrolysis reaction.
C. A combustion reaction is a reaction where a substance reacts with oxygen, usually producing heat and light. There is no oxygen mentioned in the given reaction, so it is not a combustion reaction.
D. A redox reaction is a reaction where there is a transfer of electrons between two elements or compounds. To identify whether a reaction is a redox reaction, we need to check if there is a change in the oxidation states of the elements involved. In the given reaction, we can see that sulfur dioxide (SO2) is being reduced from an oxidation state of +4 to +2 in CaSO3. Since there is a change in oxidation state, the reaction between quicklime and sulfur dioxide is indeed a redox reaction.
E. A Lewis acid-base reaction involves the transfer of a pair of electrons from a Lewis base to a Lewis acid. There is no mention of Lewis acids or bases in the given reaction, so it is not a Lewis acid-base reaction.
Therefore, the correct answer is D. a redox reaction.