Calculate the atom economy for making hydrogen when zinc is reacted with HCL?

So, there are two parts to this question. 

Firstly, you need to decode the words in the question and transform this into an equation. 

From chemical knowledge, you know: acid + metal --> salt + hydrogen 

So now: HCL + Zn --> ZnCl2 + H2 .... then we balance this to give: 2HCL + Zn --> ZnCl2 + H2 

Secondly, we need to recall the atom economy equation (Mr of desired product / Mr sum of all products  x 100) i.e. what you need/everything produced  x 100  

Desired product Mr i.e. of H2 is: 1 x 2 = 2

All products Mr i.e. ZnCl2 + H2 is: 65 + (2 x 35.5) + (1 x 2) = 138 

2/138 x100 =1.45% :)

PD

Related Chemistry GCSE answers

All answers ▸

What is the bonding structure of a metal


Explain why chlorine is more reactive than iodine(3 marks)


propene and steam react to form propan-2-ol. If the yield is 75% what mass of propene is required to produce 410g of propane-2-ol. [molar masses/gmol-1 propene=42, propan-2-ol =60]


What is metallic bonding?