The following reaction is important in the removal of sulfur dioxide,a major source of acid rain,from the smokestacks of coal burning power plants.When the equation below is balanced,the coefficient of calcium sulfate (commonly called "gypsum")is:
CaO + SO₂ + O₂ → CaSO₄

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

To balance the equation, we need to ensure that the number of atoms of each element is equal on both sides. Starting with the reactants, we have one calcium (Ca), one oxygen (O) from CaO, one sulfur (S) and two oxygen (O) atoms from SO₂ and O₂, respectively. On the product side, we have one calcium (Ca), one sulfur (S), and four oxygen (O) atoms in CaSO₄. To balance the equation, we need to increase the number of CaSO₄ molecules by a factor of 2 to ensure that we have two sulfur and four oxygen atoms on both sides. Therefore, the coefficient of CaSO₄ is 2.

The Following Reaction Is Important in the Removal of Sulfur