Question #d03c9

1 Answer
Jan 31, 2015

"55.4 g"55.4 g

Explanation:

Every time you have to solve problems in which you are asked to determine how much of something is needed to react with a given mass of something else, you must think moles and, more specifically, mole ratios.

Start with the balanced chemical equation

2KI(aq) + Pb(NO_3)_2(aq) -> PbI_2(s) + 2KNO_3(aq)2KI(aq)+Pb(NO3)2(aq)PbI2(s)+2KNO3(aq)

This is a double replacement reaction that leads to the formation of an insoluble precipitate, PbI_2PbI2.

Notice the mole ratio between KIKI and Pb(NO_3)_2Pb(NO3)2: "2 moles"2 moles of the former must react with "1 mole"1 mole of the latter in order for the reaction to take place.

Use the molar masses of the compounds to go from grams to moles (for KIKI) and from moles to grams (for Pb(NO_3)_2Pb(NO3)2):

55.2 cancel("g") * ("1 mole")/(331.2 cancel("g")) = "0.167 moles" Pb(NO_3)_2

This means that you need

0.167 cancel("moles"color(white)(a) Pb(NO_3)_2) * ("2 moles " KI)/(1 cancel("mole"color(white)(a) Pb(NO_3)_2)) = "0.334 moles"color(white)(a) KI

The mass will be

0.334 cancel("moles") * ("166 g")/(1 cancel("mole")) = "55.4 g"color(white)(a) KI

Here "166 g" represents the mass of one mole of potassium iodide. This values comes from potassium iodide's molar mass, which is listed at approximately "166 g /mol".

As a conclusion, always go to moles, it'll make your life easier, and remember to use mole ratios.

Here's a video of the reaction, if you're curios about what the precipitate looks like: