Methanol can be produced in industrial plants by reacting carbon dioxide with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst, with water as the byproduct. How many volumes of hydrogen are required for each volume of carbon dioxide when both gases are at the same temperature and pressure?
Biology · High School · Mon Jan 18 2021
Answered on
Methanol (CH3OH) can be formed from carbon dioxide (CO2) and hydrogen (H2) gas in the presence of a catalyst according to the following chemical equation:
CO2 + 3H2 → CH3OH + H2O
This reaction shows that for each mole of carbon dioxide, three moles of hydrogen gas are required. According to Avogadro's Law, equal volumes of gases at the same temperature and pressure contain an equal number of molecules or moles. Therefore, when both gases are at the same temperature and pressure, we would need three times the volume of hydrogen as the volume of carbon dioxide to react and produce methanol.
So, for each volume of carbon dioxide, three volumes of hydrogen are required.