Metallic molybdenum can be produced from the mineral molyb- denite, MoS,. The mineral is first oxidized in air to molybde-
num trioxide and sulfur dioxide. Molybdenum trioxide is then
reduced to metallic molybdenum using hydrogen gas. The bal-
anced equations are
MoS2(s) + O2(g) → MoO3(s) + 2SO2(8)
MoO3(s) + 3H2(g) → Mo(s) + 3H2O(1)
Mass
Volume
Temperatu
Pressure
Calculate the volumes of air and hydrogen gas at 17°C and 1.00
atm that are necessary to produce 1.00 X 109 kg of pure molyb-
denum from MoS2. Assume air contains 21% oxygen by volume
and assume 100% yield for each reaction.