# Calcium oxide, or lime, is produced by the thermal decomposition of limestone in the following reaction. What mass of lime can be produced from 1.5 x 10^3 kg of limestone?

Jul 7, 2017

Approx. $850 \cdot \text{tonnes}$

#### Explanation:

$C a C {O}_{3} \left(s\right) \stackrel{\Delta}{\rightarrow} C a O \left(s\right) + C {O}_{2} \left(g\right)$

You have the stoichiometric equation, which tells you UNEQUIVOCALLY that $100.09 \cdot g$ of $C a C {O}_{3} \left(s\right)$ undergoes decomposition with heat to give $56.09 \cdot g$ of so-called $\text{burnt lime}$ or $\text{quicklime}$ (i.e. $\text{calcium oxide}$) and $44.0 \cdot g$ of carbon dioxide........

If you haven't already realized $\text{mass is conserved}$. What does this mean in this context?

With respect to $C a C {O}_{3}$ we heated a molar quantity of $\frac{1.5 \times {10}^{6} \cdot g}{100.09 \cdot g \cdot m o {l}^{-} 1} \cong 15000 \cdot m o l$.

And thus if such a molar quantity of calcium carbonate were reacted we would get a molar quantity of $15000 \cdot m o l$ with respect to $\text{carbon dioxide}$........i.e. approx. $660 \cdot \text{tonnes}$. Take that atmosphere!

We also get $15000 \cdot m o l \times 56.08 \cdot g \cdot m o {l}^{-} 1 = 841 \cdot \text{tonnes}$ with respect to $\text{calcium oxide}$, i.e. $\text{quicklime}$, $C a O$........

In what industry do you think that these reactions would have direct relevance? Or rather in what industry are these reactions routinely performed on these scales or larger?