Question

1. A sample consisting of 1.0 mol CaCO3 (s) was heated to 800oC when it is decomposed. The heating was carried out in a container fitted with a piston that was initially resting on the solid. Calculate the work done during complete decomposition at 1.0 atm. What work would be done if instead of having a piston, the container was open to the atmosphere?

Answer 1

Expansion work against constant external pressure: w=-pex Δ Δ V 3. The attempt at a solution . I tried following that. Because Vf>>Vi, and Vf=nRT/pex, then w=-pex x nRT/pex=-nRT (im assuming n is number of moles of CO2?). 1 mole of CaCO3 makes 1 mole of CO2, so plugging in numbers, I get 8.9kJ, although I dont use the 1 atm pressure at all