How many O2 molecules are needed to react with 4.59 g of S?in 2S ＋3O2→2SO3

Elemental S reacts with O2 to form SO3 according to the reaction 2S+3O2→2SO3 Part B: What is the theoretical yield of SO3 produced by the quantities described in Part A? Express your answer numerically in grams.

Part A: 1.88x10^23 O2 molecules are needed to react with 6.67 g of S.

We address the equation...

S

(

s

)

+

3

2

O

2

(

g

)

→

S

O

3

(

g

)

Explanation:

The question specifies that we got

1.88

×

10

23

dioxygen molecules

...i.e. a molar quantity of...

1.88

×

10

23

⋅

molecules

6.022

×

10

23

⋅

molecules

⋅

m

o

l

−

1

=

0.312

⋅

m

o

l

...

But we gots with respect to sulfur,

6.67

⋅

g

32.06

⋅

g

⋅

m

o

l

−

1

=

0.208

⋅

m

o

l

...

And a bit of arithmetic later, we establish that we got stoichiometric quantities of dioxygen, and sulfur….in the reaction we produce a mass of ………..

0.208

⋅

m

o

l

×

80.07

⋅

g

⋅

m

o

l

−

1

=

16.65

⋅

g

.

Note that when

sulfur trioxide

is made industrially (and this a very important commodity chemical), sulfur is oxidized to

S

O

2

, and this is then oxidized up to

S

O

3

with some catalysis...

S

O

2

(

g

)

+

1

2

O

2

(

g

)

V

2

O

5

−−→

S

O

3

(

g

)

S

O

3

(

g

)

+

H

2

O

(

l

)

→

H

2

S

O

4

(

a

q

)



sulfuric acid

The industrial sulfur cycle must be a dirty, smelly, unfriendly process. The process is undoubtedly necessary to support our civilization

it is important to conserve water because there is very limited amount of freshwater here on earth and if we are not smart about how we use it we will only be runnning out of our supply faster than neccessarry.