Question

The carbon dioxide generated by personnel in the artificial atmosphere of submarines and spacecraft must be removed from the air and the oxygen recovered. Submarine design teams have investigated the use of potassium superoxide (KO2) as an air purifier. This compound reacts with carbon dioxide to produce solid potassium carbonate and oxygen gas. Calculate the mass of KO2 needed to react with 5.0 × 101 L of carbon dioxide at 25 ºC and 1.00 atm.

Answer 1

given that

K02 reacts with C02 to give K2C03 and 02

so

the balanced chemical equation is

2K02 + C02 ---> K2C03 + 1.5 02

now

for ideal gases such as C02

PV = nRT

so

using the given values

1 x 50 = n x 0.0821 x 298

n = 2.04367

so

moles of C02 = 2.04367

now

consider the reaction

2K02 + C02 ---> K2C03 + 1.5 02

we can see that

moles of KO2 needed = 2 x moles of CO2

so

moles of KO2 needed = 2 x 2.04367

moles of KO2 needed = 4.08734

now

we know that

mass = moles x molar mass

so

mass of KO2 needed = 4.08734 x 71

mass of KO2 needed = 290

so

290 grams of KO2 is needed