Question #3bf98

1 Answer
May 26, 2016

393.39 kg of sodium and 606.61 kg of chlorine.

Explanation:

To produce sodium metal and chlorine gas from sodium chloride you need to perform electrolysis on the molten salt, rather than the aqueous solution (the latter electrolysed yields sodium hydroxide solution and chlorine gas).

Electrolysis of molten sodium chloride causes the decomposition of the compound as follows:

2NaCl (l) --> 2Na (s) + Cl2 (g)

So for every 2 moles of sodium chloride you get 2 moles of sodium and a mole of chlorine gas.

1 tonne is (1,000,000/58/44) = 17,111.567 moles. This would give you 17,111.567 moles of sodium, which is 17,111.567 x 22.99 = 393,394.92 g or 393.39 kg. It would also give you (17,111.567/2) = 8555.784 x 70.9 = 606,605.08 g (606.61 kg) of chlorine gas.

Liquid chlorine - mass would be the same, it's just the volume occupied that would significantly less.

(Please note that the abbreviation for kilogram is kg not KG)