Question

At liftoff, a space shuttle uses a solid mixture of ammonium perchlorate and aluminum powder to obtain great thrust from the volume change of solid to gas. In the presence of a catalyst, the mixture forms solid aluminum oxide and aluminum chloride and gaseous water and nitrogen monoxide.A. Write a balanced equation for the reaction, assign oxidation states for all atoms, and identify the reducing and oxidizing agents.B. How much aluminum oxide can you make when you react 150.0 g of ammonium perchlorate with 50.0 g of powdered aluminum

Answer 1

Answer:

A) 3NH₄ClO₄ + 3Al ---> Al₂O₃ + AlCl₃ + 6H₂O + 3NO

B) 150 g of ammonium perchlorate will produce 43.4 g of aluminum oxide

Explanation:

A)Balanced equation of reaction:

3NH₄ClO₄ + 3Al ---> Al₂O₃ + AlCl₃ + 6H₂O + 3NO

Oxidation states:

Nitrogen, N:  from -3 to +2

Hydrogen, H: from +1 to +1

Chlorine, Cl: From +7 to -1

Oxygen, O: from -2 t0 -2

Aluminum, Al: from 0 to +3.

Oxidizing agent is ammonium perchlorate while the reducing agent is the aluminum powder.

B) molar mass of aluminum oxide = 102 g/mol; molar mass of ammonium perchlorate =117.5 g/mol

From the equation of reaction 3 moles of ammonium perchlorate reacts with 3 moles of aluminum to produce 1 mole of aluminum oxide;

that is 3 * 117.5 g of  ammonium perchlorate reacts with 3 * 27 g of aluminum to produce 102 g/mol of aluminum oxide

150 g of ammonium perchlorate will react with (150 * 3*27) / (3 * 117.5) of aluminum = 34.47 g of Al

Ammonium perchlorate is the limiting reactant.

150 g of ammonium perchlorate will produce (150 * 102)/(3*117.5) g of aluminum oxide = 43.4 g of aluminum oxide