In another experiment, 0.020mol of sodium carbonate were reacted with excess hydrochloric acid. Calculate the maximum volume (at r.t.p.) of carbon dioxide gas that could be made in this reaction.

Answer 1

There really is not standard for r.t.p. which is supposed to stand for room temperature and pressure. I will use STP, which is Standard Temperature and Pressure = 1 atm pressure and 298K.

Na2CO3 + 2HCl ==> 2NaCl + H2CO3 ==> CO2 + H2O

max. moles CO2 produced = 0.020 mol Na2CO3 x 1 mol CO2 / 1 mol Na2CO3 = 0.020 moles CO2

Converting moles of CO2 to liters of CO2, at STP, we have...

0.020 moles CO2 x 22.4 L /mole = 0.45 liters (this is because at STP 1 mol of an ideal gas = 22.4 liters)