Atom Economy
This lesson covers:
- What 'atom economy' is, and how to calculate it
- Why it's important for chemists to consider atom economy
- How to improve atom economy
What is the atom economy of a reaction?
The number of atoms that do not end up as useful products
The actual yield compared to the maximum theoretical yield
A measure of the proportion of starting materials that end up as useful products
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2H2O2 → 2H2O + O2
Calculate the atom economy when forming oxygen from hydrogen peroxide. Give your answer to 3.s.f.
(Ar of H is 1, Ar of O is 16)
%
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2Na + Cl2 ➔ 2NaCl
Without doing any calculations, what is the atom economy of the above reaction?
%
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Fe2O3 + 3CO ➔ 2Fe + 3CO2
Calculate the atom economy when forming carbon dioxide from iron (III) oxide and carbon monoxide. Give your answer to 3 s.f.
(Ar of Fe is 56, Ar of C is 12, Ar of O is 16)
%
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What are the problems with low atom economy?
(Select all that apply)
It will be less sustainable as it will use more resources
There will be more waste products which will have to be disposed of
It gives a low percentage yield
The reaction will be slow
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Ba(OH)2 + H2SO4 ➔ BaSO4 + 2H2O
Calculate the atom economy when making barium sulfate from barium hydroxide and sulfuric acid. Give your answer to 3.s.f.
(You may need a periodic table)
%
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Identify 3 other factors, besides atom economy, that should be considered when choosing between two different methods of producing a useful product.
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