In the formation of carbon dioxide from carbon monoxide and oxygen, how many liters of carbon monoxide, CO, are needed to react completely with 1/2 mole of oxygen gas at STP? 2 CO (g) + O2(g) → 2 CO2 (g)

1 Answer
Apr 16, 2016

Approx. #22.4# #L# of #C-=O# gas are required.

Explanation:

At constant pressure and temperature, the volume of a gas represents the number of particles. You have given te stoichiometric equation:

#2C-=O(g) + O_2(g) rarr 2CO_2(g)#,

And this equation shows that carbon monoxide reacts with molecular oxygen in a #2:1# ratio. But at #STP#, the volume of half a mole #O_2# is #11.2*L#. And of course we need double the molar quantity, and thus double the volume, of carbon monoxide gas for stoichiometric reaction.