Question

The reform reaction between steam and gaseous methane (CH4) produces "synthesis gas," a mixture of carbon monoxide gas and dihydrogen gas. Synthesis gas is one of the most widely used industrial chemicals, and is the major industrial source of hydrogen.
Suppose a chemical engineer studying a new catalyst for the reform reaction finds that 924. liters per second of methane are consumed when the reaction is run at 261.°C and 0.96atm. Calculate the rate at which dihydrogen is being produced. Give your answer in kilograms per second. Round your answer to 2 significant digits.

Answer 1

Answer:

The rate at which dihydrogen is being produced is 0.12 kg/sec.

Explanation:

$CH_4+H_2O\rightarrow CO+3H_2$ Haber reaction

Volume of methane consumed in a second = 924 L

Temperature at which reaction is carried out,T= 261°C = 538.15 K

Pressure at which reaction is carried out, P = 0.96 atm

Let the moles of methane be n.

Using an Ideal gas equation:

$PV=nRT$

$n=\frac{PV}{RT}=\frac{0.96 atm\times 924 L}{0.0821 atm l/mol K\times 538.15 K}=20.0769 mol$

According to reaction , 1 mol of methane gas produces 3 moles of dihydrogen gas.

Then 20.0769 mol of dihydrogen will produce :

$\frac{3}{1}\times 20.0769 mol=60.2307 mol$ of dihydrogen

Mass of 24.3194 moles of ammonia =24.3194 mol × 2 g/mol

=120.46 g=0.12046 kg ≈ 0.12 kg

924 L of methane are consumed in 1 second to produce 0.12 kg of dihydrogen in 1 second. So the rate at which dihydrogen is being produced is 0.12 kg/sec.