Ethanol is produced industrially by the acid catalyzed reaction of ethylene with water. The balanced equation for this reaction is: C₂H₄(g) + H₂O(g) → C₂H₅OH(l)
If water is present in excess, how many grams of ethanol can be produced from 42.7 g of ethylene?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

First, we need to determine the limiting reactant. Since we are given 42.7 g of ethylene and an excess amount of water, we can convert 42.7 g of ethylene to moles using its molar mass:

42.7 g C2H4 x (1 mol C2H4/28.05 g C2H4) = 1.52 mol C2H4

Using the coefficients from the balanced equation, we can calculate the moles of ethanol that can be produced:

1.52 mol C2H4 x (1 mol C2H5OH/1 mol C2H4) = 1.52 mol C2H5OH

Finally, we can convert moles of ethanol to grams:

1.52 mol C2H5OH x (46.08 g C2H5OH/1 mol C2H5OH) = 70.1 g C2H5OH

Therefore, the answer is choice C, and 70.1 g of ethanol can be produced.

Ethanol Is Produced Industrially by the Acid Catalyzed Reaction of Ethylene