Answer the following question: In a space shuttle, the CO2 that the crew exhales is removed from the air by a reaction within canisters of lithium hydroxide. Let's assume that one astronaut exhales about 537. L of CO2 daily. What mass of water will be produced when this amount reacts with LiOH? The other product of the reaction is Li2CO3. When answering this question include the following:

Question

Answer the following question: In a space shuttle, the CO2 that the crew exhales is removed from the air by a reaction within canisters of lithium hydroxide. Let's assume that one astronaut exhales about 537. L of CO2 daily. What mass of water will be produced when this amount reacts with LiOH? The other product of the reaction is Li2CO3.  When answering this question include the following:

Have both the unbalanced and balanced chemical equations.
Explain how to find the molar mass of the compounds.
Explain how the balanced chemical equation is used to find the ratio of moles (hint: step 3 in the video).
Explain how many significant figures your answer needs to have.
The numerical answer

Mike Oxlong · Accepted Answer

The gas is assumed to be at STP.

DrBob222 · Answer

LiOH + CO2 ==> Li2CO3 + H2O
2LiOH + CO2 ==> Li2CO3 + H2O
Note that 537 L CO2 doesn't tell me much since you don't include the pressure nor the temperature of the cabin. The author of the problem forgot to include the conditions of the gas. I understand the cabin pressure is maintained at approximately 1 atm but I KNOW the temperature isn't 0^o (273 K). Let's say the temperature is 20 C (293 K). So at NTP (1 atm and 293 K) the molar volume is about 24.05 L/mol. That means mols CO2 iin 537 L @ those conditions is 537/24.05 = 22.3 mols.
Convert this to mols H2O produced using the coefficients in the balanced equation. 22.3 mol CO2 x (1 mol H2O/1 mol CO2) = 22.3 mol H2O
produced. Convert mols H2O to grams H2O.
g H2O = mols H2O x molar mass H2O = 22.3 x 18.02 = ? grams H2O. You can punch the numbers into a calculator to get the answer.
The 18.02 is obtain by used the numbers from the periodic table.
2H + O = 2*1.008) + 16.00 = 18.018 which I rounded to 18.02.
You are allowed 3 significant figures from the 537 number. It has three significant figures.
Note: In the future it would be nice if you would show what you know to do bvy yourself. I don't think you knew NOTHING about this problem.

Crockett · Answer

Thank you for answering this so that I now know that I need to change this question because students are plagiarizing your good work!