Question

NASA used canisters filled with lithium hydroxide to remove carbon dioxide inside the space shuttles. The chemical equation for the reaction is:

2LiOH(s)+CO2(g)=LiCO3(s)+H2O(g)

a. Determine the theoretical mass of lithium hydroxide required for each 5.00 g of carbon dioxide removed from the shuttle.

b. Theoretically, what mass of lithium carbonate, Li2CO3, would be produced for each 5.00 g of carbon dioxide removed from the shuttle?

Answer 1

Part a

The balanced reaction is

2LiOH(s) + CO2(g) = Li2CO3(s) + H2O(g)

Moles of CO2 = mass/molecular weight

= 5g / 44g/mol

= 0.11364 mol

From the stoichiometry of the reaction

1 mol CO2 required = 2 mol LiOH

0.11364 mol CO2 required = 2*0.11364 = 0.2273 mol LiOH

Mass of LiOH = moles x molecular weight

= 0.2273 mol x 23.95 g/mol

= 5.443 g

theoretical mass of lithium hydroxide = 5.443 g

Part b

Moles of Li2CO3 produced = moles of CO2 consumed

= 0.11364 mol

mass of lithium carbonate = moles x molecular weight

= 0.11364 mol x 73.89 g/mol

= 8.396 g