Question

An industrial manufacturer wants to convert 175 kg of methane into HCN. Calculate the masses of ammonia and molecular oxygen required for this synthesis.

Answer 1

Given:

175 kilograms of Methane (CH4) to be synthesized into Hydrogen Cyanide (HCN)

The balanced chemical equation is shown below:

2 CH4 + 2 NH3 + 3 O2 → 2 HCN + 6 H2O

To calculate for the masses of ammonia and oxygen needed, our basis will be 175 kg CH4.

Molar mass:
CH4 = 16 kg/kmol
NH3 = 17 kg/kmol
O2 = 32 kg/kmol

mass of NH3 = 175 kg CH4 / 16 kg/kmol * (2/2) * 17 kg/kmol 
mass of NH3 = 185.94 kg NH3 needed

mass of O2 = 175 kg CH4 / 16 kg/kmol * (3/2) * 32 kg/kmol
mass of O2 = 525 kg

mass of O = 525 kg / 32 kg/kmol * (1/2) * 16 kg/kmol
mass of O = 131.25 kg O