CHM 2045 Discussion Quiz #1 KEY Fall 2009

Atomic masses: Ca (40.08 amu), O (16.00 amu), C (12.01 amu), H (1.008 amu),
Cl (35.45 amu), Mg (24.31 amu), Cu (63.55 amu), S (32.07 amu),
Na (22.99 amu)

1. (10 points) Lactic acid contains the following mass percentages: 40.0% C, 6.71% H,
and 53.3% O. Its molecular mass is 90.09 amu.
a) Determine the empirical formula of lactic acid.
(40.0 g C)(1 mol C / 12.01 g) = 3.33 mol C
(6.71 g H)(1 mol H / 1.008 g) = 6.66 mol H
(53.3 g O)(1 mol O / 16.00 g) = 3.33 mol O
CH2O (mass = 30.03 amu)
b) Determine the molecular formula of lactic acid.
90.08 amu / 30.03 am = 3, so (3)(CH2O) = C3H6O3

2. (10 points) Anhydrous copper(II) sulfate can be used to dry liquids in which it is
insoluble. The anhydrous copper(II) sulfate coverts to copper(II) sulfate pentahydrate
during this drying process. What minimum mass (in grams) of anhydrous copper(II)
sulfate would be required to remove 6.8 g of water from a tankful of gasoline?

(6.8 g)(1 mol H2O / 18.02 g)(1 mol CuSO4•5H2O / 5 mol H2O) x
(1 mol CuSO4 / 1 mol CuSO4•5H2O)(159.62 g CuSO4 / mol CuSO4)
= 12 g CuSO4

3. (13 points) When 100. mL of 4.0 M aqueous calcium chloride is mixed with 200. mL
of 2.5 M aqueous sodium hydroxide, solid calcium hydroxide precipitates out of solution.
a) Give the balanced net ionic equation for this reaction.
Ca2+ (aq) + 2 OH− (aq) → Ca(OH)2 (s)

b) Which ion is the limiting reactant?

If use up all the Ca2+:
(0.100 L)(4.0 mol CaCl2 / L)(1 mol Ca2+ / 1 mol CaCl2) x
(1 mol Ca(OH)2 / 1 mol Ca2+) = 0.4 mol Ca(OH)2 possible
If use up all the OH−:
(0.200 L)(2.5 mol NaOH / L)(1 mol OH− / 1 mol NaOH) x
(1 mol Ca(OH)2 / 2 mol OH−) = 0.25 mol Ca(OH)2 possible

So, OH− is the limiting reactant ion.

c) What is the maximum mass (in grams) of precipitate that forms? (assume
precipitate is completely insoluble in water)

(0.25 mol Ca(OH)2)(74.096 g/mol) = 19 g Ca(OH)2