Calculating the Mass of Calcium Oxide

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 111 views

Introduction

Calcium carbonate ( $CaCO_3$ ) is a widely used compound in various industries, including construction, paper, and pharmaceuticals. It is also an important component in the Earth's crust, making up a significant portion of rocks and minerals. In this article, we will explore the thermal decomposition of calcium carbonate, a process that involves the breakdown of $CaCO_3$ into its constituent elements: calcium oxide ( $CaO$ ) and carbon dioxide ( $CO_2$ ). We will also discuss the quantitative analysis of this process, using the given information about the mass of the impure sample and the molar mass of $CaCO_3$ .

Theoretical Background

The thermal decomposition of calcium carbonate is a well-known process that occurs at high temperatures. The reaction is as follows:

CaCO_3 \rightarrow CaO + CO_2

This reaction is a first-order decomposition reaction, meaning that the rate of reaction is dependent on the concentration of the reactant ( $CaCO_3$ ). The reaction is also exothermic, releasing heat energy as it proceeds.

Quantitative Analysis

Given that the impure sample contains 95% $CaCO_3$ , we can calculate the mass of $CaCO_3$ in the sample. Let's assume that the mass of the impure sample is 4.00 g. Since 95% of the sample is $CaCO_3$ , the mass of $CaCO_3$ is:

m(CaCO_3) = 0.95 \times 4.00 \, \text{g} = 3.80 \, \text{g}

We are also given the molar mass of $CaCO_3$ , which is 100.09 g/mol. We can use this information to calculate the number of moles of $CaCO_3$ in the sample:

n(CaCO_3) = \frac{m(CaCO_3)}{M(CaCO_3)} = \frac{3.80 \, \text{g}}{100.09 \, \text{g/mol}} = 0.0380 \, \text{mol}

Since the reaction is a first-order decomposition reaction, the rate of reaction is dependent on the concentration of the reactant ( $CaCO_3$ ). We can calculate the concentration of $CaCO_3$ in the sample as follows:

C(CaCO_3) = \frac{n(CaCO_3)}{V}

where $V$ is the volume of the sample. However, since we are not given the volume of the sample, we will assume that the sample is a solid and that the concentration is expressed in terms of mass per unit mass.

Calculating the Mass of Calcium Oxide

Since the reaction is a first-order decomposition reaction, the mass of $CaO$ produced is directly proportional to the mass of $CaCO_3$ consumed. We can calculate the mass of $CaO$ produced as follows:

m(CaO) = m(CaCO_3) \times \frac{M(CaO)}{M(CaCO_3)}

where $M(CaO)$ is the molar mass of $CaO$ . The molar mass of $CaO$ is 56.08 g/mol. Therefore:

m(CaO) = 3.80 \, \text{g} \times \frac{56.08 \, \text{g/mol}}{100.09 \, \text{g/mol}} = 2.14 \, \text{g}

Calculating the Mass of Carbon Dioxide

Since the reaction is a first-order decomposition reaction, the mass of $CO_2$ produced is directly proportional to the mass of $CaCO_3$ consumed. We can calculate the mass of $CO_2$ produced as follows:

m(CO_2) = m(CaCO_3) \times \frac{M(CO_2)}{M(CaCO_3)}

where $M(CO_2)$ is the molar mass of $CO_2$ . The molar mass of $CO_2$ is 44.01 g/mol. Therefore:

m(CO_2) = 3.80 \, \text{g} \times \frac{44.01 \, \text{g/mol}}{100.09 \, \text{g/mol}} = 1.69 \, \text{g}

Conclusion

In this article, we have discussed the thermal decomposition of calcium carbonate, a process that involves the breakdown of $CaCO_3$ into its constituent elements: calcium oxide ( $CaO$ ) and carbon dioxide ( $CO_2$ ). We have also performed a quantitative analysis of this process, using the given information about the mass of the impure sample and the molar mass of $CaCO_3$ . The results show that the mass of $CaO$ produced is 2.14 g and the mass of $CO_2$ produced is 1.69 g.

References

[1] "Calcium Carbonate" in Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, 5th ed., John Wiley & Sons, 2004.
[2] "Thermal Decomposition of Calcium Carbonate" in Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry, vol. 93, no. 2, pp. 341-346, 2008.

Appendix

The following table summarizes the results of the quantitative analysis:

Substance	Mass (g)
$CaCO_3$	3.80
$CaO$	2.14
$CO_2$	1.69

Introduction

In our previous article, we discussed the thermal decomposition of calcium carbonate, a process that involves the breakdown of $CaCO_3$ into its constituent elements: calcium oxide ( $CaO$ ) and carbon dioxide ( $CO_2$ ). We also performed a quantitative analysis of this process, using the given information about the mass of the impure sample and the molar mass of $CaCO_3$ . In this article, we will answer some of the frequently asked questions related to this topic.

Q: What is the purpose of thermal decomposition of calcium carbonate?

A: The purpose of thermal decomposition of calcium carbonate is to produce calcium oxide ( $CaO$ ) and carbon dioxide ( $CO_2$ ) from the calcium carbonate ( $CaCO_3$ ). This process is used in various industries, such as construction, paper, and pharmaceuticals.

Q: What are the products of thermal decomposition of calcium carbonate?

A: The products of thermal decomposition of calcium carbonate are calcium oxide ( $CaO$ ) and carbon dioxide ( $CO_2$ ).

Q: What is the molar mass of calcium carbonate?

A: The molar mass of calcium carbonate ( $CaCO_3$ ) is 100.09 g/mol.

Q: What is the mass of calcium oxide produced in the thermal decomposition of calcium carbonate?

A: The mass of calcium oxide ( $CaO$ ) produced in the thermal decomposition of calcium carbonate is 2.14 g.

Q: What is the mass of carbon dioxide produced in the thermal decomposition of calcium carbonate?

A: The mass of carbon dioxide ( $CO_2$ ) produced in the thermal decomposition of calcium carbonate is 1.69 g.

Q: What is the percentage of calcium carbonate in the impure sample?

A: The percentage of calcium carbonate ( $CaCO_3$ ) in the impure sample is 95%.

Q: What is the mass of the impure sample?

A: The mass of the impure sample is 4.00 g.

Q: What is the molar mass of calcium oxide?

A: The molar mass of calcium oxide ( $CaO$ ) is 56.08 g/mol.

Q: What is the molar mass of carbon dioxide?

A: The molar mass of carbon dioxide ( $CO_2$ ) is 44.01 g/mol.

Q: What is the relationship between the mass of calcium carbonate and the mass of calcium oxide produced in the thermal decomposition?

A: The mass of calcium oxide ( $CaO$ ) produced in the thermal decomposition of calcium carbonate is directly proportional to the mass of calcium carbonate ( $CaCO_3$ ) consumed.

Q: What is the relationship between the mass of calcium carbonate and the mass of carbon dioxide produced in the thermal decomposition?

A: The mass of carbon dioxide ( $CO_2$ ) produced in the thermal decomposition of calcium carbonate is directly proportional to the mass of calcium carbonate ( $CaCO_3$ ) consumed.

Conclusion

In this article, we have answered some of the frequently asked questions related to the thermal decomposition of calcium carbonate. We hope that this article has provided a better understanding of this process and its applications.

References

[1] "Calcium Carbonate" in Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, 5th ed., John Wiley & Sons, 2004.
[2] "Thermal Decomposition of Calcium Carbonate" in Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry, vol. 93, no. 2, pp. 341-346, 2008.

Appendix

The following table summarizes the results of the quantitative analysis:

Substance	Mass (g)
$CaCO_3$	3.80
$CaO$	2.14
$CO_2$	1.69

Note: The masses are calculated based on the given information and the molar masses of the substances.