6. Calcium oxide, CaO, is a key ingredient in cement Calcium oxide is made by heating calcium carbonate, CaCO3 heat CaCO3=(s) CaO(s) + CO2(g)

Question

Explain what effect heat has on the following quantities: (a) the total mass of solids in the furnace (b) the percentage of calcium in the solids in the furnace

Answer 1

The heat would decompose the CaCO₃ to CaO plus CO₂ gas

56.1g CaO in 100.1g sample of CaCO₃ [1 mole sample] (b) 56.1/100.1 = 0.5604 x 100 = 56.04%