Question

There are two steps in the usual industrial preparation of acrylic acid, the immediate precursor of several useful plastics. In the first step, calcium carbide and water react to form acetylene and calcium hydroxide:
CaC2(s)+2H2O(g)→C2H2(g)+CaOH2(s)

In the second step, acetylene, carbon dioxide and water react to form acrylic acid:

6C2H2(g)+3CO2(g)+4H2O(g)→5CH2CHCO2H(g)

Write the net chemical equation for the production of acrylic acid from calcium carbide, water and carbon dioxide. Be sure your equation is balanced.

Answer 1

Answer: The net chemical equation for the production of acrylic acid is given below.

Explanation:

We are given two intermediate equations:

Equation 1:  $CaC_2(s)+2H_2O(g)\rightarrow C_2H_2(g)+Ca(OH)_2(s)$

Equation 2:  $6C_2H_2(g)+3CO_2(g)+4H_2O(g)\rightarrow 5CH_2CHCO_2H(g)$

To get the net chemical equation for the formation of acrylic acid from calcium carbide, carbon dioxide and water, we multiply the first equation by a factor of '6'.

The equation becomes:

Equation 1:  $6C_2H_2(g)+6Ca(OH)_2(s)$

Equation 2:  $6C_2H_2(g)+3CO_2(g)+4H_2O(g)\rightarrow 5CH_2CHCO_2H(g)$

Net chemical equation now becomes:

$6CaC_2(s)+16H_2O(g)+3CO_2(g)\rightarrow 5CH_2CHCO_2H(g)+Ca(OH)_2(s)$

Hence, the net chemical equation for the production of acrylic acid is given above.