Question

Ammonium nitrate, NH4NO3, can decompose explosively when heated to a high temperature
according to the equation
___NH4NO3(s) ? ___N2(g) + ___H2O(g) + ___O2(g)
If 100.0 g of ammonium nitrate decomposes at 450 oC, how many liters of gaseous products
would be formed? (Assume atmospheric pressure is 1.00 atm)

answer=260L

Answer 1

the balanced equation is as follows

2 NH4NO3 --------------------> 2 N2 + O2 + 4 H2O

no of moles = mass / molar mass

for NH4NO3 = 100 g / 80.043 g/mol => 1.25 moles

from the balanced equation

mole ratio of NH4NO3 & N2 is 1 : 1 so no of moles of N2 => 1.25 moles

mole ratio of NH4NO3 & O2 is 2 : 1 so no of moles of O2 => 0.6246 moles

mole ratio of NH4NO3 & H2O is 1 : 2 so no of moles of H2O => 2.5 moles

total moles => 1.25 + 0.6246 + 2.5 => 4.372 moles

P = 1.00 atm

R = 0.0821 L am / mol K

T = 450 c = 723 K

PV = nRT

V = nRT / P

V = 4.372 * 0.0821 * 723 / 1

V = 259.6 L

answer => 260 Liters