Wine goes bad soon after opening because the ethanol (CH2CH2OH) in it reacts with oxygen gas (02) from the air to form water (H2O) and acetic acid (CH2COOH), the main ingredient of vinegar. What mass of acetic acid is produced by the reaction of 4.9 g of ethanol? Round your answer to 2 significant digits.
The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
To calculate the mass of acetic acid produced by the reaction of ethanol with oxygen, we can use stoichiometry. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of the process:
Step 1: Write the balanced chemical equation
The chemical reaction for ethanol (C₂H₅OH) reacting with oxygen (O₂) to form acetic acid (CH₃COOH) is as follows:
[
C_2H_5OH + O_2 \rightarrow CH_3COOH + H_2O
]
Step 2: Find the molar mass of ethanol
The molar mass of ethanol (C₂H₅OH) can be calculated by adding the atomic masses of its constituent elements:
- Carbon (C): 12.01 g/mol
- Hydrogen (H): 1.008 g/mol
- Oxygen (O): 16.00 g/mol
[
Molar \, mass \, of \, C_2H_5OH = (2 \times 12.01) + (6 \times 1.008) + (1 \times 16.00) = 46.08 \, g/mol
]
Step 3: Convert the mass of ethanol to moles
Given that we have 4.9 g of ethanol, we can convert this to moles by dividing by the molar mass:
[
\text{moles of ethanol} = \frac{4.9 \, g}{46.08 \, g/mol} = 0.106 \, mol
]
Step 4: Use the stoichiometry of the reaction
From the balanced equation, we can see that 1 mole of ethanol reacts to produce 1 mole of acetic acid. Therefore, 0.106 moles of ethanol will produce 0.106 moles of acetic acid.
Step 5: Calculate the mass of acetic acid produced
The molar mass of acetic acid (CH₃COOH) is:
[
Molar \, mass \, of \, CH_3COOH = (2 \times 12.01) + (4 \times 1.008) + (2 \times 16.00) = 60.05 \, g/mol
]
Now, we can calculate the mass of acetic acid produced:
[
\text{mass of acetic acid} = 0.106 \, mol \times 60.05 \, g/mol = 6.36 \, g
]
Final Answer:
The mass of acetic acid produced by the reaction of 4.9 g of ethanol is 6.36 g.
I’ll also generate a visual representation of the stoichiometric steps in the next image.
Here’s an educational diagram illustrating the stoichiometric process of the ethanol reaction with oxygen to produce acetic acid. It outlines the key steps, including the molecular structures, the balanced equation, and the calculation process from grams of ethanol to the mass of acetic acid. Let me know if you need further clarification!