Q 91CP

Question

Question: Limestone CaCO3 is the second most abundant mineral on Earth after SiO2. For many uses, it is first decomposed thermally to quicklimeCaO.MgO is prepared similarly fromMgCO3.

(a) At what T is each decomposition spontaneous? 

(b) Quicklime reacts with SiO2 to form a slag CaSiO3, a byproduct of steelmaking. In 2003, the total steelmaking capacity of the U.S. steel industry was 2,370,000 tons per week, but only 84% of this capacity was utilized. If 50.0 kgof slag is produced per ton of steel, what mass (in kg) of limestone was used to make slag in 2003?

Step-by-Step Solution

Verified
Answer
  1. The decomposition spontaneous is T=671 K for MgCO3.
  2. the mass of limestone is used is 4.2×109 kg CaCO3.
1Define decomposition spontaneous

The truth is that decomposition reactions rarely happen on their own. They usually require some sort of impetus to get started. The driving force in the transformation of water into hydrogen and oxygen is energy in the form of electricity.

2Step 2: For the decomposition spontaneous

The change in enthalpy and entropy of calcium carbonate breakdown are computed as,

CaCO3s CaOs+CO2g

Hrxn=1 mol×HiCaO+1 mol×HiCO2-1 mol×HiCaCO3=1 mol×-631.5 kJ/mol+1 mol×-393.5 kJ/mol-1 mol×-1206.9 kJ/mol=178.3 kJ

Srxn=mSproducts-mSreactants=1 mol×38.2 J/Kmol+1 mol×213.7 J/Kmol-1 mol×92.9  J/Kmol=150.9J/K

The rate of breakdown is computed as,

Grxn=0=Hrxn-TSrxnT=HmaSma=178.3 kJ159.0 J/Kmol×1000 J1 kJ=1121 K for CaCO3


The change in enthalpy and entropy of magnesium carbonate breakdown are estimated as,

MgCO3s MgOs+CO2g

Hrxn=1 mol×HiMgO+1 mol×HiCO2-1 mol×HiMgCO3=1 mol×-601.2 kJ/mol+1 mol×-393.5 kJ/mol-1 mol×-1112.9 kJ/mol=117.3 kJ

Srxn=mSproducts-mSreactants=1 mol×26.9 J/Kmol+1 mol×213.7 J/Kmol-1 mol×65.86  J/Kmol=174.74 J/K

When the reaction is spontaneous, the standard free energy is zero. The temperature at which decomposition occurs is calculated as,

Grxn=0=Hrxn-TSrxnT=HmaSma=117.3 kJ174.4.0 J/Kmol×1000 J1 kJ=671 K for MgCO3


Therefore, the decomposition spontaneous is 671 K for MgCO3

3Step 3: For the mass of limestone

Calculate the mass of calcium carbonate as follows:

CaOs+SiO2sCaSiO3s

Mass of CaCO3=2.236×106 tonweeks84%100%52 weeks1 year50 kg slug1 ton103 g1 kg=1 mol slag116.1 g slag1 mol CaCo31 mol slag100.09 g CaCO31 mol CaCO31 kg103 g=4.2×109 kg CaCO3

Therefore, the mass of limestone is used is 4.2 kg