When 80.0cm^3 of 0.500 M hydrochloric acid was added to 1.75g of impure CaCO3, not all HCl reacts. The unreacted HCl required 22.4 cm^3 of a 0.500 M solution of NaOH for complete reaction. Calculate percentage by mass of CaCO3 in the impure sample.

Balanced equations: CaCO3 + 2 HCl --> CaCl2 + H2O + CO2 , HCl + NaOH --> NaCl + H2O
HCl moles that react overall: (80.0 cm3 x 0.500 mol dm3) / 1000 dm3 cm-3 = 4.00 x 10-2 mol

HCl moles that react with just NaOH:(22.4 cm3 x 0.500 mol dm-3) / 1000 dm3 cm-3 = 1.12 x 10-2 mol

Ratios of the two balanced equations, work out the moles of HCl that reacted with CaCO3:
1 : 1, HCl : NaOH --> 1.12 x 10-2 mol HCl reacted with NaOH
2 : 1, HCl : CaCO3 --> (4.00 - 1.12) x 10-2 mol / 2 = 1.44 x 10-2 mol HCl reacted with CaCO3.
Determine the Mr of CaCO3 :(40.078 + 12.011 + (3 x 15.999) g mol-1 = 100.086 g mol-1
Determine the mass of CaCO3 that reacted with HCl:1.44 x 10-2 mol x 100.086 g mol-1 = 1.44 g
Determine percentage by mass of CaCO3 in the impure sample:(1.44 g / 1.75 g) x 100% = 82.4 %

Related Chemistry A Level answers

All answers ▸

In terms of structure and bonding explain why the boiling point of magnesium is much higher than that of bromine?


Why is phenol more reactive than benzene?


Why are some complex ions coloured?


How can I use an infrared spectrum with a mass spectrum to identify an unknown compound?