Question

In one of his experiments, Lavoisier placed 10.0 grams of mercury (II) oxide into a sealed container and heated it. The mercury (II) oxide then reacted in the presence of heat to produce 9.3 grams of mercury. Oxygen gas was another product in the reaction. According to the law of conservation of mass, how much oxygen gas would have been produced?

Answer 1

Oxygen gas produced : 0.7 g

Further explanation

Given

10.0 grams HgO

9.3 grams Hg

Required

Oxygen gas produced

Solution

Reaction⇒Decomposition

2HgO(s)⇒2Hg(l)+O₂(g)

Conservation of mass applies to a closed system, where the masses before and after the reaction are the same

mass of reactants = mass of products

mass  HgO = mass Hg + mass O₂

10 g = 9.3 g + mass O₂

mass O₂ = 0.7 g