If a particular ore contains 55.4 % calcium phosphate, what minimum mass of the ore must be processed to obtain 1.00 kg of phosp

Question

FromTheMoon [43]

3 years ago

11

If a particular ore contains 55.4 % calcium phosphate, what minimum mass of the ore must be processed to obtain 1.00 kg of phosp

horus?

Chemistry

1 answer:

gizmo_the_mogwai [7] · Answer 1 · 2022-02-22T00:22:43+03:00

The ore contains 55.4% calcium phosphate (related to the mineral apatite) so the amount of Ca3(PO4)2 is 55.4%x=1000g so x=1000/0.554= 1.805kg. Now for the % of P in this amount of calcium phosphate, use all the masses of the elements in Ca3PO4= Ca=40.078 x 3= 120.23 and (PO4)2= (30.974+64)2=189.95 (NB oxygen is 16 mass x 4 =64) so the total mass is 310.2 and we have 61.95 of P (Pmass x 2) so 61.95/3102.= 0.19 or 19% P. So of the 1.805 x 0.19= 0.34kg of phosphorus.