Calculating the Amount of NO2 Required

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 145 views

Understanding the Chemical Reaction: Nitrogen Dioxide and Nitric Acid Formation

Introduction

Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is a toxic and highly reactive gas that plays a crucial role in various chemical reactions. One of the significant reactions involving NO2 is the formation of nitric acid (HNO3), which is a strong acid commonly used in various industrial processes. In this article, we will explore the chemical reaction between NO2 and water to form HNO3 and discuss how to calculate the amount of NO2 required to produce a specific amount of HNO3.

Chemical Reaction: 3 NO2 + H2O → 2 HNO3 + NO

The chemical reaction between NO2 and water to form HNO3 is as follows:

3 NO2 + H2O → 2 HNO3 + NO

In this reaction, three molecules of NO2 react with one molecule of water to produce two molecules of HNO3 and one molecule of nitrogen monoxide (NO). This reaction is an example of a redox reaction, where NO2 is reduced to HNO3, and water is oxidized to oxygen.

Calculating the Amount of NO2 Required

To calculate the amount of NO2 required to produce a specific amount of HNO3, we need to use the molar masses of the reactants and products. The molar mass of NO2 is 46.01 g/mol, and the molar mass of HNO3 is 63.01 g/mol.

Let's assume we want to produce 863.67 g of HNO3. To calculate the number of moles of HNO3 produced, we can use the following formula:

moles HNO3 = mass HNO3 / molar mass HNO3

moles HNO3 = 863.67 g / 63.01 g/mol = 13.71 mol

Since the reaction produces 2 moles of HNO3 for every 3 moles of NO2, we can calculate the number of moles of NO2 required as follows:

moles NO2 = (3/2) × moles HNO3 moles NO2 = (3/2) × 13.71 mol = 20.57 mol

Now that we have the number of moles of NO2 required, we can calculate the mass of NO2 required using the molar mass of NO2:

mass NO2 = moles NO2 × molar mass NO2 mass NO2 = 20.57 mol × 46.01 g/mol = 943.51 g

Therefore, to produce 863.67 g of HNO3, we need approximately 943.51 g of NO2.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the chemical reaction between NO2 and water to form HNO3 is a complex process that involves the reduction of NO2 and the oxidation of water. By understanding the stoichiometry of the reaction and using the molar masses of the reactants and products, we can calculate the amount of NO2 required to produce a specific amount of HNO3. In this article, we calculated that approximately 943.51 g of NO2 is required to produce 863.67 g of HNO3.

References

[1] National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). (2020). Nitrogen Dioxide.
[2] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2020). Nitric Acid.
[3] International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC). (2020). Nitrogen Dioxide.

Additional Resources

[1] Chemistry LibreTexts. (2020). Nitrogen Dioxide.
[2] Khan Academy. (2020). Redox Reactions.
[3] Purdue University. (2020). Stoichiometry.

FAQs

Q: What is the chemical reaction between NO2 and water? A: The chemical reaction between NO2 and water is 3 NO2 + H2O → 2 HNO3 + NO.
Q: How much NO2 is required to produce 863.67 g of HNO3? A: Approximately 943.51 g of NO2 is required to produce 863.67 g of HNO3.
Q: What is the molar mass of NO2? A: The molar mass of NO2 is 46.01 g/mol.
Q: What is the molar mass of HNO3? A: The molar mass of HNO3 is 63.01 g/mol.